Hero's welcome to lone gold medallist
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 07 2011:
Mutum Punshisana, so far the first and the only gold medallist of the country in the Special Olympics World Summer Games currently underway at Greece since July 3, landed at Tulihal Airport here today to a Hero's welcome with friends, family members, relatives, members of his Kekru Baptist Church unit and other well-wishers rolling out the red carpet for him.
The Special Olympics World Summer Games will go on till July 28 .
Punshisana won the gold medal in the 21-km long marathon event of the Special Olympics World Summer Games clocking 1 hour, 31 minutes and 27 seconds.
Born to Mutum Bhubaneshwar and Ibempishak of Kekru village, Yairipok, Punshisana is visually impaired on his left eye.
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While expressing happiness over the achievement of his son, Bhubaneshwar said that inspite of living in poverty, all the family members have always supported Punshisana in his every endeavour.
To participate in the Special Olympics, a piece of land owned by the family had to be sold off to meet the expenses of Punshisana in the absence of any support from the side of the Government.
''By winning the gold medal, my son has made his family proud and the Church unit which have supported and prayed for him, proud'', the jubilant father added.
Th Sarat Kumar, an official of Social Welfare Department, who was also present among others to receive the gold medallist at the airport, was also all praise for Punshisana and said that it is the hard work and the commitment that has made him a winner.