Manipur Univerity, 27 December 2025: A One-Day National Seminar on “History, Patrons, and Doyens of Sports in Manipur” was formally inaugurated today at the Committee Room of the Vice-Chancellor’s Secretariat, Manipur University. The seminar was jointly organised by the Department of Sociology, Manipur University, the College Development Council, Manipur University, and the Intellectual Forum North East–Manipur.
The inaugural session was graced by eminent personalities from the fields of academia, sports administration, and public life. The presidium comprised Prof. Naorem Lokendra Singh, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University, and Shri Thounaojam Chaoba Singh, Padma Shri awardee and former Union Minister of State for Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.
Delivering the keynote remarks as a presidium member of the inaugural function, Shri Thounaojam Chaoba Singh reflected on several landmark decisions taken during his tenure as Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, which have contributed significantly to Manipur’s sporting success stories. These included the protection of sporting grounds, the organisation of the National Games, and the establishment of the National Sports University. He stressed the importance of recognising the contributions of unsung patrons and pioneers who nurtured sports at the grassroots level, often under challenging socio-political circumstances, and called for systematic research and documentation of such contributions in the form of published works.
In his inaugural address, Prof. Naorem Lokendra Singh traced the historical development of sports and sporting traditions at Manipur University from its establishment to the present day. He highlighted several instances of institutional patronage extended by the University towards sports and underlined Manipur’s unparalleled sporting legacy. He emphasised the need to document and critically examine the historical contributions of sports patrons, institutions, and doyens who have shaped the state’s sporting excellence. Such academic engagements, he noted, are vital for preserving indigenous sporting traditions and integrating them into contemporary policy discourse.
The inaugural function set the academic tone for the seminar, which sought to explore sports in Manipur not merely as a competitive activity, but as a socio-cultural institution shaped by history, patronage, and collective memory. The seminar subsequently proceeded with technical sessions featuring scholarly presentations by sports historians, administrators, former civil servants, and veteran coaches, reflecting the interdisciplinary character of the event.
Following the inaugural session, the seminar continued with two technical sessions featuring eminent resource persons from diverse backgrounds. The first technical session, chaired by Prof. Rajendra Kshetri, former Head, Department of Sociology, Manipur University, included presentations by Dr. R.K. Nimai (Retired IAS Officer), Dr. L. Dibamani (Registrar, National Sports University), Shri G. Bisheshwor Sharma (Assistant Professor, Manipur University of Culture), and Dr. Ksh. Bimolata Devi (Assistant Professor, DM University), among others.
The second technical session was chaired by Shri Pradip Phanjoubam, Editor, Imphal Review of Arts and Politics. Resource persons included Shri Soram Lokeshwar (retired lecturer and sports historian), Shri Chingtham Iboton Singh (retired MFS officer and author), Shri Ningthoukhongjam Tombi Raj (former President, Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association), and Shri B. Bilki Sharma (Young Talent National Awardee in Thang-Ta), among others.
The seminar concluded with a rich exchange of ideas, reaffirming the need to recognise sports as a vital component of Manipur’s social history, cultural identity, and developmental discourse. The deliberations highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary scholarship in preserving and promoting the state’s rich sporting heritage.
