The untold tale of an Arjuna awardee
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Satyajit Usham

Imphal, November 29 2011: From hawking vegetables to becoming the country's first woman Wushu player to win a Silver medal in the Asian Games, it has been an incredible journey for Arjuna awardee Wangkhem Sandhyarani.

Her resolute stand behind the dramatic switch from her first love, Boxing, to a relatively unknown sports like Wushu, a traditional Chinese martial art, is an equally awe-inspiring lesson on true sportsmanship for other players.

In an exclusive chat with Hueiyen Lanpao, 27-year old Sandhyarani recalled that she had keen interest in sports since childhood but never really had the support and backing of her family.

"I come from a very humble family background.

My father is a farmer and mother, a simple housewife.

So, poverty stood between my sports and the daily struggle for survival.

But I was determined to become a sportsperson, and did not hesitate from doing many odd jobs like selling vegetables, digging ponds and working as hire-hands in paddy fields of other people just to meet my financial requirements", the gutsy player disclosed.

"When I was young, my parents even tried to stop me from playing.

But later on they started supporting me after seeing my determination and performances", she added.

With the help of her friend circle, Sandhyarani came to Imphal from her native Thoubal Athokpam and put up in a rented room at Khurai Ahongei Leikai from where she used to go for daily practice session at the nearby Khuman Lampak Sports complex.

Although Sandhyarani started her sporting career in boxing and was even in the Asian Championship Camp in 2003, she switched to Wushu after a 'bitter experience', which she wants to bury and leave behind.

She even requested Hueiyen Lanpao not to make her recount that incident.

Nevertheless, the media report on the incident is something known to all.

If not for injustice by their boxing coach during their 2003 preparatory camp for Asian Boxing Championship, Sandhyarani would have remained in boxing.

In all seven of them left the camp at the instruction of their senior officials.

But when the same officials left them in the lurch and forced them to go back to the camp, Sandhyarani and another boxer stood their ground though the rest went back.

Sandhyarani has no regret over her decision, and as they say, Boxing's loss has become Wushu's gain.

Sandhyarani has given India its first International medal in a sporting discipline which very few people in the country knew about until her Silver medal winning performance in the women's Sanshou 60 kg category at Guangzhou Asian Games in China last year.

She had to move up the weight class for the Games from 56 kg to 60 kg as there was no competition in her original weight category.

On her seemingly effortless transition from Boxing to Wushu, Sandhyarani explained, "Wushu is more of a combined game requiring mental co-ordination over speed, technique and reflexes.

My formative training in Boxing did come handy.

But I have to work really hard, especially in kicks and throwing" .

The government of India honoured Sandhyarani with Arjuna Award in August this year in recognition of her sporting feat and effort in popularizing Wushu.

"The honour was overwhelming.

But it has increased the expectation of the people.

So, I am trying hard for the World Championship scheduled in May 2012 at Macau", Sandhyarani said, adding, "Asian players' domination over their European counterparts is a foregone conclusion and that an Asian would emerge the winner" .

On her future plan, Sandhyarani disclosed that she would like to set up a Wushu Academy in her native Thoubal district where young players can get proper training.

"There are many young people who are interested in sports in remote rural areas of Thoubal district.

But there is no infrastructure and they can't afford to come to Imphal.

To save them from the trouble of undergoing the same difficulties that I have gone through, I like to set up the Academy", Sandhyarani said.

Presently working as a constable in CRPF, Sandhyarani has been recently offered the post of SI in the Police Department by the government of Manipur.

However, she is yet to take up the post.

Sandhyarani is the fourth child of six siblings, three daughters and three sons, born of Wangkhem Bheigya and Wangkhem Ongbi Ibechaobi of Thoubal Athokpam, Thoubal district.

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