Ladakh’s small contingent a winner all the way in Khelo India Youth Games 2022 – ThePrint – ANIFeed
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 12 (ANI): When one speaks of Leh and Ladakh, images of the highest mountain passes, breathtaking landscapes, monasteries – and of course minus temperatures come to mind. To do any kind of sport there against great odds is quite an achievement in itself and in that respect the humble 17-man squad at the Khelo India Youth Games has already proved to be a winner.
While 10 of the athletes from the Union Territory accounted for boxing and one track and field, they have all made an arduous journey home, except for the six who participate in the indigenous sport thang ta. A traditional martial art of Manipur that integrates a range of external weapons such as sword, spear and dagger – it was adopted by Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh followed suit.
“Two of my players have lost and the battles for the other four are still to come. I’m not expecting medals but the Khelo India gave them a good competitive experience,” said Mohammed Hassan, the 25-year-old head coach of the Ladakh Thang Ta Association. “In case you’re wondering about my young age, I’m still an active Thanga Ta fighter in the senior category,” Hassan Khelo told India Media over the phone from Mandla, where the competition is held.
No fewer than five indigenous sports – thang ta, gatka, mallakhamb, yogasana and kalaripayattu – have registered for the 2022 Khelo India Youth Games in Madhya Pradesh. By the way, Thanga Ta has two styles – Phunaba _Ama (sword fighting only) and Phunaba_Anishuba (sword & kicking only).
“The Thang Ta sport has been practiced in Ladakh for about four years now and the redeeming thing is that our fighters here have not exaggerated. Maybe in a few years we can start expecting medals from them,” Hassan said.
When asked how difficult it is to play any sport with such an attitude, Hassan said that there has been a lot of emphasis on sport lately. “Ravinder Kumar, the Minister for Sport, always listens patiently to our problems. In Kargil we have a boxing academy, while I take care of both martial arts myself,” says the coach.
Asked how they will return home from Madhya Pradesh, Hassan said: “We will take the train to New Delhi and from there we will reach Leh by plane. The athletes are then taken to their homes.”
This kind of sums up the kind of challenges Ladkah athletes face in their way of life – not just in sports! (ANI)
This report is automatically generated by the ANI news service. ThePrint assumes no responsibility for their content.