Thang-Ta championship will be calendar event: Biren

Imphal: In an effort to popularise Manipuri martial arts, Hueiyen Lallong and Thang-Ta, Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh has announced that the Chief Minister’s Annual Indigenous Martial Arts Meet (Meihourolgi Thang-Ta Amadi Hueiyen Lallong Changdamnaba) will be organised as a calendar event of the state from this year onwards.

Biren made the announcement during a review meeting cum interaction session with Thang-Ta Gurus and representatives of different indigenous martial arts bodies of the state at his secretariat today.

The required fund for the said meet would be earmarked in the state budget, he added.

During the meeting, Shri N. Biren Singh directed the officials to form a committee with commissioner (YAS) as the chairperson to identify the requirements of different martial arts institutes of the state. All the active institutes must be registered with the state government, the chief minister said.

The committee would also record the number of students and trainers, he added.

Representatives from selected Thang-Ta bodies and high ranking officials from the finance, art and culture, education-S and planning departments would be members of the committee.

Biren said the committee would submit its report/findings by June 20 apart from suggesting a tentative date for this year’s indigenous martial arts meet.

He shared his thought of building up a healthy society and also to inculcate discipline into the mind of youth and children through Manipuri martial arts, which is undoubtedly identifying the state to the world.

The chief minister urged different Thang-Ta associations to shun all the differences and come together under a single leadership or an apex body. He also appealed to all concerned to join hand in this concerted effort to promote and preserve Manipuri martial arts.