Guwahati: The Liangmai tribes particularly the sports enthusiasts from Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, gathered and exchanged vows for unity, peace and the improvement of sporting events in Oklong village in Manipur’s Senapati district on Wednesday. The prayers were led by Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh.
At the 27th sports meet of the Liangmai Sports Association in 2023, 59 men’s football teams, women’s football players and volleyball players from these states will compete for various trophies.
Manipur’s hill districts have a wealth of untapped sporting talent, according to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who opened the event. On January 26, the meeting’s topic of “Assam, Manipur and Nagaland – shine for glory” would come to an end.
“Feeling blessed on being greeted by such joyful and friendly villagers and receiving a warm welcome as we arrived to attend the 27th sports meet 2023 of Liangmai Sports Association at Oklong Village, Senapati district today,” the CM twitted.
The state government would build 21 football grounds in the Senapati district, according to CM N Biren Singh who is a former football player who began his career in the sport. At the Senapati district headquarters, a local sports stadium will also be built at a cost of Rs 7 crores. The chief minister declared that there are no castes or creeds in sports and added that a synthetic football turf field would also be built in the area.
He also gave Rs 2 lakhs to make the sports meet successful from his discretionary cash.
Notably, the Liangmai tribe lives in the northeast Indian states of Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur. Their villages are mainly dispersed over Tamenglong, Senapati in Manipur and Peren district in Nagaland. Additionally, there are a few villages in the districts of Dimapur, Nagaland, Imphal East and Imphal West. In Tamei town, a subdivision of the Tamenglong district in Manipur state, as well as Tening town, a subdivision of Peren district in Nagaland state, the Liangmais make up the majority of the population and rule there.