In a state grappling with prolonged ethnic tensions and unrest, sports are steadily emerging as a unifying force among Manipur’s youth. While divisions may continue beyond the field, playgrounds and training centres are becoming spaces where discipline, teamwork and shared aspirations transcend community lines.
From football grounds to boxing rings and athletics tracks, young athletes belonging to Meetei, Kuki, Naga, Meitei Pangal (Muslim), Tangkhul, Rongmei and other communities are training together. For many, sport has evolved beyond recreation into a source of emotional resilience, structure and renewed purpose during uncertain times.
Coaches note that even during the most volatile phases of unrest, local tournaments carried on quietly in certain areas. Training sessions offered young people a constructive outlet to channel anxiety and frustration, helping them maintain routine and focus.
A prominent example is the Sarita Boxing Academy in Mayang Imphal, founded by Olympian and Arjuna Awardee Laishram Sarita Devi. The academy currently hosts around 103 students drawn from diverse communities across Manipur’s hills and valleys. Living and training together, the students share meals and routines without distinctions of caste, religion or ethnicity.
Sarita has consistently emphasised that sport recognises no social barriers. She has recalled that before the outbreak of violence, Kuki students trained alongside others at the academy, reflecting a spirit of harmony that many hope to see restored. The academy has recently expanded its infrastructure with the addition of an artificial football turf and regular football training sessions, and plans are underway to introduce more disciplines in response to growing interest among young people.
As the security situation shows gradual signs of stabilisation, participation in sports is on the rise. Grounds that once fell silent are witnessing renewed activity, and an increasing number of youth now view sport not only as recreation but as a potential career path and a disciplined way of life.
In a region striving to rebuild trust and normalcy, sports are quietly shaping a different narrative — one where teamwork replaces division, friendships cross community boundaries and young people find a constructive path forward.
