Army felicitates Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu in Manipur

Imphal: The Indian Army on Saturday felicitated Olympic silver medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu in Manipur, defence sources said.

A defence spokesman said that the Red Shield Division of Spear Corps of the Army felicitated Chanu at a function at the Leimakhong Military Station in Imphal West district.

Major General Navin Sachdeva, General Officer Commanding of Red Shield Division, along with other officials and troops and their families from the division congratulated Chanu (27) and presented her with a memento as a token of appreciation.

During her interaction with the soldiers, the star weightlifter shared her journey to the Olympic podium and exhorted the young soldiers and children to aspire big with a focused approach to fulfil their dreams, the spokesman said.

Chanu, who won the silver medal in the women's 49 kg category on July 24, is a native of Nongpok Kakching village in Imphal East district, around 25 km from Imphal.

Chanu was accorded a hero's welcome on her return to Manipur on July 27.

On Thursday, as a mark of gratefulness, Chanu had felicitated 150 truck drivers and helpers with a shirt, a Manipuri scarf along with a full-course lunch.

These truck drivers and helpers, who carry river sands from Chanu's village to Imphal, gave her lift for several years to go to the sports academy in Imphal.

"Due to the paucity of funds to travel the 25 km distance every day, Chanu used to hitch a ride with the Imphal-bound trucks which carry sands from our village river. My sister as part of her gratitude treated 150 truck drivers and helpers with some gifts and a lunch," Chanu's elder brother Binod Meitei said on Saturday.