Sportsperson from Manipur reels on hardship, seeks government support

Singamayum Tajbanu, a Manipur-based martial artist who represented India in the world forum, is now reeling under hardships. Despite representing the tricolour at 2nd World Jeet Kune-do Championship in 2023 and winning Gold Medal, Tajbanu is now waving clothes to make ends meet. Tajbanu contributed to her debuts by bagging several medals in Karate and Jeet Kune Do disciplines and represented India and Manipur at both National and International levels. She won numerous gold medals in the Jeet Kune-do discipline at both the national and international levels. To date, she bagged 4 Gold medals at the International level and 8 Gold medals at the national level, altogether 12 gold medals in Jeet Kune-do. In Karate she bagged 1 International Silver and Bronze medal and 4 Gold, 7 Silver, and 2 Bronze medals altogether 15 medals at the national level. Her father Md Manowar sustained heavy injuries from a bomb blast during Kargil War. Manowar also lost hearing ability in the right side ear after 1 year of treatment and voluntarily retired. While talking about the hardships in her career, Tajbanu said that she faced many problems. “Not only mentally or physically but financially also there were lots of problems,” she said. Tajbanu seeks help from the government to participate in more games and win medals.