Ksh. Ibopishak : A football player, hockey player and boxer since the 1960s

Seram Neken *

'ON THE GOLDEN FOOTPRINTS' reproduces here the profile of veteran player Ksh Ibopishak from Ratneshwori Goswami's Akao Parei Chankhrabasing published in the Huieyen Lanpao (Manipuri).

Lost mother in the very childhood, Ksh. Ibopishak has with him the unrelenting sporting spirit that has nurtured him to be the passionate player of Football, of Hockey, of Boxing and of Athletics. An all rounder of yesteryears, Ibopishak is still associating with Hockey in his late 60s.

Born on Sunday, the 27th October 1947, Ksh. Ibopishak is the fourth child of Ksh. Basanta and Thongbram Ningol Thakurani Devi of Uripok Laikhurembi Leikai Maning Leirak. During 1958 at his eleventh year, he began to play Football with a rubber ball costing 50 paise by that time. He started participating in various tournaments, also as a hired player of other clubs. The payment for hiring in those days was around five to ten rupees. Playgrounds of Uripok Tourangbam leikai, Uripok Khoisnam leikai etc. were the maiden platform where he and his colleagues played football. He was also interested in athletics events such as High Jump, Long Jump and Paul vault.

His sports career began during 1961-62, when he started playing football at a small ground at Uripok Tourangbam Leikai. Led by a local elder called Sanjembam Thoibi, he began to join small tournaments under the Young Union Club (YUC) by that time. The so called Laphubon Lampak at Uripok Khaidem Leikai was the playground where tournaments were often conducted. According to Ksh. Ibopishak, his contemporary players in YUC were T. Syamkishore, T. Sakhi, T. Momon, Biren, Nilamani Sharma, Ng. Bimol, A. Ranjan, H. Rajen, Kh. Sudhir, B. Surendra Sharma, A. Ibohal, H. Biren, etc. There was also a big playground at the place where the Cheirap Court stands today. The elders who supported the payers were M. Thoibi, Syambi, N. Jaken, N. Manglemjao, T Binoi, G. Manisana Sharma, T. Naran, T. Debendro, Kh. Ramkumar, O. Megha etc.

He had also been the captain from Junior to Senior teams in the Youth Progressive Association (YPA). YPA of Uripok Khoisnam Leikai had also a number of Football players. As remembered by Ibopishak, the two elder persons who took keen interest in Football were Khoisnam Gouramani and Kangabam Romoni. Those who were playing in YPA include Ibohal, Kaminikumar, Ibetombi, Iboyaima, Raghumani, Inaomacha, Lokeswar, Mangilal, Sobha, Jiten, Tiken, Jadumani, Babu and Angou from Kangjabi. As a player of YPA, Ibopishak participated in the Football Tournament organized by All Manipur Sports Association.

When he was studying class X at Tombisana School in 1965, he got the opportunity to join the Indian Army as Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineer and was posted in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He completed his Matriculation in Bhopal while in service. He was indeed player cum tradesman in the Army. He became a Football and Hockey player in the Army. Before joining service, he had played Football, Hockey, Boxing and Basketball. In the Army, he was in the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Football team which took part in a number of tournaments and trophies, and became winners for several times.

Regarding his involvement in Hockey, Ibopishak said that he in the Core of EME Hockey Team which participated in various national level matches. As Centre Forward player, he participated in the All India Maharaja Ranjit Singh Gold Cup (Amritsar, Punjab), All India DCM Hockey Gold Kotta (Rajasthan), All India Bombay Gold Cup (Bombay), All India Morruguppa Gold Cup (Madras), All India Candet Shield Hockey Dewlali (Nashik, Maharashtra), All India Nehru Gold Cup (Delhi), All India Dhyanchand Hickey (Agra, UP), Beighton Cup Hockey (Calcutta), All India Abdulla Khan Hockey (Bhopal) and others. Due to polarization of players and discrimination meted out to players, Ibopishak resigned from service in 1975.

After coming home, he was ceaselessly in sports, even though he took up his late father's business. In 1975, he participated in the CC Meet (Silver Jubilee Year) as team captain of Imphal sporting club which played the inaugural match with Manipur Police team. On the inaugural day of the Meet, Ibopishak was given the opportunity to present a gift to the 82 year old Sorokhaibam Thambou Singh who is considered as the first person to kick Football in Manipur. It may be mentioned that Churachand Maharaja asked Sorokhaibam Thambou Singh to kick the Football which was brought by Sir James Johnston from Calcutta for the first time in Manipur.

He was also a player of Yaiskul Athletic Club (YAC). In 1976, Ibopishak participated in the Bordoloi Trophy held in Guwahati under the Manipur Eleven Team. He was also in the Manipur Eleven Team when it played a friendly match against Port Authority Team of Thailand in 1980 at Imphal Pologround.

As a state player for the first time, he participated in the 40th Senior National Hockey Tournament at Cuttack, Orissa in 1976. Before that Manipur players had played under Assam state. It may be recalled that RK Manisana of COSMO was the captain of the first Manipur team which entered the national level. Besides Khs. Ibopishak, other players in the Cuttak tournament were Sougaijam Ajit, O. Rashbihari, Nongmaithem Hari, Phanjoubam Bhisma, W. Tombisana, Pangabam Nilakomol, Laishram Kumar, M. Santikishore, Th. Iboyaima, Tangjam Jarnel, S. Punyaban, L. Achou, Surjakumar etc. while Ngairangbam Jugindro was the Coach and BC Singh was team manager. Ibopishak could gain hat-trick in the tournament.

In 1977, he took part as the captain of Manipur team in the 41st Senior National Hockey in Madras, where he scored a goal against the 19 time national champion Railways team and his name was widely published in national papers including the Hindu paper. Y. Madneshore and S. Lokeshwar were the Coach and Team Manager in the tour.

In 1978, he was among the 18 Indian players selected for participation in Argentina World Cup. Perhaps Ibopishak became the first player from Manipur nominated for the World Cup camp at Patiala where he was also the lone player from North East India. However, at last his name was missed in the selection list.

In the Beighton Cup 1978, Ksh. Ibopishak was the team captain of Manipur team that comprised Olympian Ksh Thoiba (SEYO), World Cupper L. Tiken (ESU), RK Sanayaima (COSMO), M. Santikishore (Khongman Students Club), M. Ajoychand (YAC), P. Nilakomol (YAC), RK Manisana (COSMO), S. Punyaban (Manipur Police/YAC), Megha (Sagolband United), Th. Iboyaima (COSMO), L. Achou (Manipur Police), Nongmaithem Hari (ESU), Birbal (Khongman Students Club), Ksh Tiken (SEYO), RK Thambalsana (as Manager) and L. Tomba (as Coach).

He captained the Manipur Hockey team at the Senior National Hockey Championship at Jalandhar in 1980-81. In the Senior National Championship of 1983, Ibopishak was fielded as the player-cum-coach of Manipur team. This was the last Hockey Championship in his career as Hockey player.

By 1979, he started nurturing young players of the state. He acted as coach for the state women team to Chandigarh in 1978-1979. As a coach, he led the Manipur junior Hockey team to Jabalpur Madhya Pradesh in 1980-81, and to Jammu and Kashmir in 1986. In 1985, he led the senior team to Senior Zonal Hockey in Patna. He became the team manager in the First Hockey India Men's Senior National in 2011 and the Coach cum manager in the Second Hockey India Men's Senior National in 2012. Again in 2013, Ibopishak acted as the Coach in the Third Hockey India Men's Senior National in Pune, Maharashtra.

During 1978-79, Ibopisak along with Sapam Surchandra from Soibam Leikai, Tourangbam Syamkishore of Uripok, took important role in formation of Amateur Boxing Association. As a referee/Judge, he had so far conducted at least fourteen National Boxing Championships and acted as technical official in four National Games.

He served as Joint secretary of Manipur Hockey Association twice during the tenures of S. Lokeshwar and RK Amubisana as the General Secretaries. He became selector during the period of Y. Chaoba as General Secretary, and member of Executive Council during the time of N. Gyanendra as General Secretary. In association with Ksh. Thoiba, M. Kullajit and L. Tiken, the veteran player Ibopishak is at present playing a big role in imparting training to the young players of Manipur. As homage to his departed mother, Ksh. Ibopishak regularly donated blood from 1965 to 2008.

(for feedbacks email to: [email protected])