Big day for Manipur: Sportstars Sushila Chanu, Roshibina Devi presented Arjuna Awards by President Murmu

Sports powerhouse of the nation, Manipur certainly has reasons to rejoice as 2 ace athletes from the state have been conferred the prestigious Arjuna Award for their exceptional performances in their respective disciplines.

Both, Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu and Naorem Roshibina Devi have not only made Manipur proud but also the entire Northeast. The duo have once again proved that sheer grit and determintation is indeed the key to success.

Basking in glory, hockey player Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu received the honour from President Droupadi Murmu in a grand event at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi today.

Chanu was awarded for her performances in different mega sporting events since 2022.

Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu won–
Bronze- 19th Asian Games China (2023)
Bronze- 22nd Commonwealth Games, England (2022)
Gold- Valencia Spain FIH Nations Cup (2022)

Wushu star Naorem Roshibina Devi followed Sushila Chanu to receive the 2nd highest sporting honour given to sportspersons with qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.

Roshibina was selected for the coveted award for her stellar performances in
2023- China 19th Asian Games, won Silver medal in 60-kg category
2023- Texas World Wushu Championship, won Silver medal in 60-kg category
2023- Moscow Wushu Stars Championship, won Gold medal in 60-kg category

Who is Naorem Roshibina Devi?
Roshibina hails from Bishnupur district of Manipur. She was introduced to the world of combat sports at a very young age as she had an innate ability and an overwhelming passion for martial arts.

The breaking point for Roshibina Devi came when she competed for India in the National Wushu Championships and won gold medals in various categories.

Roshibina had won a silver medal in the Wushu women’s 60 kg category at the Asian Games 2022 held in September 2023. She had also won a bronze medal in the 2018 edition of the Asian Games held in Jakarta. She had won gold at the 2019 South Asian Games in Nepal. In Asian Wushu Championships 2009, she had won a silver medal and in the 9th Asian Junior Wushu Championships held in Gumi, South Korea, she won a gold medal.

Who is Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu?
Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu was born on February 25, 1992 in Imphal, Manipur.

Drawn towards sports from a young age, Chanu’s interest grew when shewent with her father to witness a football game at the 1999 Manipur National Games. She began playing hockey at the stadium the age of 11 and was soon selected for the national camp.

At the Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup in Mönchengladbach in 2013,Chanu gained fame by leading the junior women’s team to a bronze medal finish. She made her debut for the senior national team, competing for the bronze in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.

She made her international debut at the 2008 Women’s Hockey Junior Asia Cup, held in Kuala Lumpur, where India won a bronze medal. She has 150 international caps to her name and was the captain of the Indian national team.