In the heart of Manipur’s turmoil, two displaced young girls, Lourembam Anjali Devi, 13, and Chanambam Langlen Chanu, 14, emerged as beacons of light and hope.
Selected to represent their homeland in the 3rd Sub Junior Boys and Girls National Boxing Championship 2024, they bring a story of resilience and determination.
Lourembam Anjali Devi hails from the strife-torn locales of Moreh Ward No. 5, and Chanambam Langlen Chanu comes from Ekou Sadu Koireng in Imphal East.
Guided by the compassionate vision of renowned boxer Laishram Sarita and her husband Chongtham Thoiba, who is also the administrator of Sarita Regional Boxing Academy, the academy has become more than just a training ground, it is a sanctuary of dreams for many displaced children.
Providing free residential boxing training since the start of the Manipur violence, the academy embodies the power of sports to heal and unite.
The tale of Anjali Devi and Langlen Chanu is not just about boxing, it is about fighting back with grace, about standing tall against the waves of adversity.
On Sunday, these two young girls were seen off by their coach Sarita Laishram and team at Imphal airport, as they embarked on their journey to participate in the national championship.
Their participation in the tournament, organised in association with the UP Boxing Association, is a narrative wrapped in hope and unwavering courage, symbolising the strength of a community standing strong amidst trials.
The championship is scheduled to take place from March 18 to 25 at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida.
Other than these two displaced children, five others from Sarita Regional Boxing Academy and 15 other students from different other boxing academies of the state will participate in this championship.
