Nanao Singh Thokchom
Encyclopedia
Thokchom Nanao Singh (born 8 January 1991) is an Indian
boxer
from Khoijuman Maning Leikai village in Bishnupur district
of Manipur
. He trains at Pune
-based Army Sports Institute and is supported by Olympic Gold Quest
, a not-for-profit foundation to identify and support Indian athletes.
) in Bishnupur district
of Manipur
. He took interest in boxing
since the age of eight. His interest in the sport was spurred on by his friend, a boxer, who once took him to a boxing ring
. Nanao Singh drew further inspiration from the success of Dingko Singh
, a Manipur
boxer who won a gold medal at the 1998 Asian Games
, and Muhammad Ali
. Being the youngest child in their family, his parents wanted him to focus on education instead of sport. When Nanao Singh first put on a pair of boxing gloves, his father got furious and sent him to a boarding school
so that that his focus could be redirected to education. Nanao Singh ran away from this school and returned home. After seeing his dedication to boxing, his father introduced him to a local boxing coach who groomed him initially. In 2000, Nanao Singh joined the Pune
-based Army Sports Institute. He was the successful outcome of the institute's joint collaboration with the Sports Authority of India
whose aim was to win international medals for India
.
Nanao Singh represented India in the 48-kg category at the 2007 Commonwealth Boxing Championships in Liverpool
. He won a silver medal at this championship despite being a junior-level player. Based on this performance, the Indian national coach predicted Nanao Singh's success at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games
. As per his coach's expectations, he won the gold medal at the Youth Games. A few weeks after this victory, Nanao Singh won the gold medal – the lone medalist for India – at the inaugural Youth World Amateur Boxing Championships
that was held in Guadalajara
, Mexico
. In 2008, he also won the gold medal at the Juvenile Olympic Games that was held in Cuba
. At the 2009 Asian Amateur Boxing Championships
, he narrowly missed the gold medal in his category. The Indian coach was happy with the overall performance of the boxers and predicted a bright future for Nanao Singh. Following this win, he was ranked fifth with a tally of 1400 points.
At the 2009 World Boxing Championships, he was seeded second in the 48-kg category. However, Nanao Singh faltered in the second round itself where he lost by a single point. Owing to this poor result, he dropped three places to eighth in the light flyweight
ranking. Towards the end of 2009, Nanao Singh represented Team Asia at the season-ending President's Cup, the only AIBA event.
At the 2010 season-opening Super Cup Boxing, Nanao Singh won the title in the 48-kg category. In the same year, the Asian Boxing Confederation organized an invitational prize event that was called as the Champion of Champions. Along with three other Indian boxers – Vijender Singh, Dinesh Kumar
and Akhil Kumar
– Nanao Singh represented his country in the two-day championship; he lost in the opening round itself. For the Commonwealth Boxing Championships, Nanao Singh failed to qualify because he had lost out to another boxer in the trials.
In January 2010, Nanao Singh injured his hand and this put him out of boxing. Due to this injury, he was unable to participate at the Indian National Championships. In June 2010, he underwent a surgery for his fractured arm.
Samsung
chose a list of 10 Indian sports-persons as a part of Sports Ratna, a scholarship program with an aim to support players for the 2010 Asian Games
. Nanao Singh was one among this list of four boxers, four shooters
, and two wrestlers. Olympic Gold Quest
, a not-for-profit foundation to identify and support Indian athletes, chose him because of his talent and bright future.
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from Khoijuman Maning Leikai village in Bishnupur district
Bishnupur District
Bishnupur district is the district of Manipur state in northeastern India with the smallest area.-Geography:Bishnupur town is the administrative headquarters of the district. Other major towns in this district are: Nambol, Moirang and Kumbi.-Demographics:...
of Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
. He trains at Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
-based Army Sports Institute and is supported by Olympic Gold Quest
Olympic Gold Quest
Olympic Gold Quest is a program of the Foundation Of Sports And Games , started by Indian sporting icons Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone to identify and support Indian athletes with a proven track record and who have the potential to win Olympic gold medals...
, a not-for-profit foundation to identify and support Indian athletes.
Foray into boxing
Thokchom Nanao Singh was born to Thokchom Tobobi Singh and Keinahanbi Devi in Khoijuman Maning Leikai village (35 kilometres (21.7 mi) from ImphalImphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
) in Bishnupur district
Bishnupur District
Bishnupur district is the district of Manipur state in northeastern India with the smallest area.-Geography:Bishnupur town is the administrative headquarters of the district. Other major towns in this district are: Nambol, Moirang and Kumbi.-Demographics:...
of Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
. He took interest in boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
since the age of eight. His interest in the sport was spurred on by his friend, a boxer, who once took him to a boxing ring
Boxing ring
A boxing ring is the space in which a boxing match occurs. A modern ring, which is set on a raised platform, is square with a post at each corner to which four parallel rows of ropes are attached with a turnbuckle...
. Nanao Singh drew further inspiration from the success of Dingko Singh
Dingko Singh
Dingko Singh is an Indian boxer who won the gold medal at 1998 Asian Games. He hails from Manipur.-Achievements:Won the King's cup in Bangkok in 1997Won the Asian Games gold in the 1998 Bangkok Games...
, a Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
boxer who won a gold medal at the 1998 Asian Games
1998 Asian Games
The 13th Asian Games were held from December 6 to December 20, 1998 in Bangkok, Thailand. This was the first time that Thailand bid for the event after it shouldered the two postponed hosting rights in 1970 and 1978.-Emblem:...
, and Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
. Being the youngest child in their family, his parents wanted him to focus on education instead of sport. When Nanao Singh first put on a pair of boxing gloves, his father got furious and sent him to a boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
so that that his focus could be redirected to education. Nanao Singh ran away from this school and returned home. After seeing his dedication to boxing, his father introduced him to a local boxing coach who groomed him initially. In 2000, Nanao Singh joined the Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
-based Army Sports Institute. He was the successful outcome of the institute's joint collaboration with the Sports Authority of India
Sports Authority of India
The Sports Authority of India is a body set up by the Government of India. It was created in 1984 to help promote sport throughout the country. Presently, it has seven regional centres at Bangalore, Gandhinagar, Kolkata, Sonepat, Delhi, Mumbai and Imphal and two sub-centres at Guwahati and...
whose aim was to win international medals for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
As an amateur boxer
Nanao Singh started out boxing in India by winning the sub-junior national championships consecutively in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In the years 2007 and 2008, he was the National Junior Champion.Nanao Singh represented India in the 48-kg category at the 2007 Commonwealth Boxing Championships in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He won a silver medal at this championship despite being a junior-level player. Based on this performance, the Indian national coach predicted Nanao Singh's success at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games
2008 Commonwealth Youth Games
The 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games were held in Pune, India, a city in the state of Maharashtra. They were the third Commonwealth Youth Games, which are held every four years; they were the first Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in Asia....
. As per his coach's expectations, he won the gold medal at the Youth Games. A few weeks after this victory, Nanao Singh won the gold medal – the lone medalist for India – at the inaugural Youth World Amateur Boxing Championships
Youth World Amateur Boxing Championships
The Youth World Amateur Boxing Championships, or AIBA Youth World Championships, is a boxing championship event organised by the AIBA for "Youth" competitors who are under the age of 19 years old...
that was held in Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In 2008, he also won the gold medal at the Juvenile Olympic Games that was held in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. At the 2009 Asian Amateur Boxing Championships
Asian Amateur Boxing Championships
The Asian Amateur Boxing Championships is the highest competition for boxing amateurs in Asia. The first tournament took place in 1963, hosted by Bangkok, Thailand.- Men's Asian Amateur Boxing Championships History :...
, he narrowly missed the gold medal in his category. The Indian coach was happy with the overall performance of the boxers and predicted a bright future for Nanao Singh. Following this win, he was ranked fifth with a tally of 1400 points.
At the 2009 World Boxing Championships, he was seeded second in the 48-kg category. However, Nanao Singh faltered in the second round itself where he lost by a single point. Owing to this poor result, he dropped three places to eighth in the light flyweight
Light flyweight
- Professional boxing :The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds . When New York legalized boxing in 1920, the law stipulated a "junior flyweight" class, with a weight limit of 99 pounds. When the National Boxing Association was formed in 1921, it also recognized this...
ranking. Towards the end of 2009, Nanao Singh represented Team Asia at the season-ending President's Cup, the only AIBA event.
At the 2010 season-opening Super Cup Boxing, Nanao Singh won the title in the 48-kg category. In the same year, the Asian Boxing Confederation organized an invitational prize event that was called as the Champion of Champions. Along with three other Indian boxers – Vijender Singh, Dinesh Kumar
Dinesh Kumar
Dinesh Kumar ' is an Indian amateur boxer from Bhiwani, Haryana who competed at the 2008 Olympics at light-heavyweight.He is coached by Jagdish Singh.He didn't compete in the 2007 World Championships....
and Akhil Kumar
Akhil Kumar
Akhil Kumar is an Indian boxer who has won several international and national boxing awards. He practices an “Open Guarded” boxing style. In 2005, the Indian government gave him the Arjuna Award for his achievements in international Boxing...
– Nanao Singh represented his country in the two-day championship; he lost in the opening round itself. For the Commonwealth Boxing Championships, Nanao Singh failed to qualify because he had lost out to another boxer in the trials.
In January 2010, Nanao Singh injured his hand and this put him out of boxing. Due to this injury, he was unable to participate at the Indian National Championships. In June 2010, he underwent a surgery for his fractured arm.
Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
chose a list of 10 Indian sports-persons as a part of Sports Ratna, a scholarship program with an aim to support players for the 2010 Asian Games
2010 Asian Games
The 2010 Asian Games, also known as the XVI Asiad, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Guangzhou, China from November 12 to November 27, 2010. Guangzhou was the second Chinese city to host the Games, after Beijing in 1990...
. Nanao Singh was one among this list of four boxers, four shooters
Shooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
, and two wrestlers. Olympic Gold Quest
Olympic Gold Quest
Olympic Gold Quest is a program of the Foundation Of Sports And Games , started by Indian sporting icons Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone to identify and support Indian athletes with a proven track record and who have the potential to win Olympic gold medals...
, a not-for-profit foundation to identify and support Indian athletes, chose him because of his talent and bright future.
External links
- Nanao Singh Thokchom at the International Boxing AssociationInternational Boxing AssociationThe International Boxing Association is a for-profit organization that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.- Origins :...
- Nanao Singh Thokchom at Olympic Gold QuestOlympic Gold QuestOlympic Gold Quest is a program of the Foundation Of Sports And Games , started by Indian sporting icons Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone to identify and support Indian athletes with a proven track record and who have the potential to win Olympic gold medals...