Manipur MLA Advocates Peace and Unity Amidst Taekwondo Celebrations
Celebrating Taekwondo and Promoting Peace
Imphal, Jan 11: Yumnam Khemchand Singh, a BJP legislator from Manipur and a 5th Dan Taekwondo master, expressed his desire to visit Seoul, the birthplace of Taekwondo, akin to how every Vaishnavite Meitei Hindu aspires to visit Vrindavan at least once in their lifetime.
He emphasized that for any Taekwondo practitioner, learning the art in South Korea is a paramount goal.
During a reception held in his honor at the Singjamei assembly constituency, Khemchand, who previously served as the rural development minister, remarked, “Just as every elder in the Meitei community believes that Hinduism is incomplete without a pilgrimage to Vrindavan, I feel that mastering Taekwondo is incomplete without a visit to Korea.”
Reflecting on his journey, Khemchand shared that he began his Taekwondo career in 1978 and traveled to Seoul in 1990 for training, where he graduated from the World Taekwondo Academy, Kukkiwon.
Notable attendees at the reception included Raj Kakoti, Vice President of the Assam Olympics Association, and Peleselie Khezhei, President of the North East Taekwondo Federation.
Khemchand was recently honored with the 5th Dan in traditional Taekwondo by the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation (GTTF), which is recognized as the leading authority in traditional Taekwondo, while the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) oversees its competitive aspect.
Kakoti reminisced about Khemchand's arrival in Guwahati in 1980, where he founded the All-Assam Taekwondo Association in 1982. He noted, “Khemchand Sir came to Guwahati during a tumultuous time in Assam, and I learned invaluable lessons from him. Back then, the Assam Police would question his efforts in teaching self-defense.”
He further explained that after the Assam Accord was signed in 1985 and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) came to power, conditions improved significantly.
“Several ministers in the cabinet, including Home Minister Bhigru Phukan, were Khemchand's students in Taekwondo. He later began instructing Assam Police personnel,” he added.
Peleselie acknowledged Khemchand's influence, stating that he is not just a Taekwondo master for Manipur and Nagaland, but for all of India.
“He is a man of action, a sportsman first and foremost. We hope he continues to guide us in sports,” he urged.
Khemchand began his Taekwondo journey at the age of 16 and was a founding president of the All Assam Taekwondo Association, playing a crucial role in promoting the martial art in Manipur.
R K Shivachandra, another Taekwondo expert from Manipur, noted that Khemchand was instrumental in popularizing the sport in India during the early 1980s and was involved in establishing the Taekwondo Federation of India, where he served as Vice President.
Call for Unity Among Communities
The BJP MLA urged attendees to recognize the importance of the Meitei community in fostering peace amid the ongoing crisis in Manipur.
“A year ago, the concept of peace was hard to accept due to the prevailing tensions. However, people are beginning to understand the necessity of peace for restoring normalcy in our state,” he stated.
Khemchand reiterated that Manipur is home to 36 communities, each of which must contribute to achieving peace and stability.
“As the majority community, the Meiteis have a responsibility to act as a guiding force in resolving the current conflict,” he remarked, adding that there remains a reluctance among Meiteis to venture beyond Kangpokpi on NH 39 due to a lack of trust with the Kukis. “This trust deficit must be addressed,” he concluded.