In Manipur, Army helping children to usher in waves of change

Langpoklakpam Pushparani Devi wants to be an actor, quite like her neighbour Ranjita, who aspires to be a singer, but the two teenaged girls harbour a fear that they might be pushed into the vortex of Manipur's armed conflicts.

Goroba Meitei, Pushparani's friend, is making preparations to become an army officer and join the forces to dispel their anxieties and restore peace in the state.

Manipur has had an umbilical connection with insurgency, but the starry-eyed children here dare to dream of a change that would ensure a bright future for them and the generations to come.

Their hopes and aspirations are being supported by the Army officers here, who have been making efforts for the past few years to alienate local people from insurgents.

Major General V K Mishra, GOC, 57 Mountain Division of the Army, said their initiative has borne fruit in parts of the state.

"That we are reaching out to them, helping them to join mainstream only goes on to show that the insurgents are no longer able to influence them," he said.

People have started approaching the forces for education assistance and vocational training, Mishra asserted.

"A few years ago, it was difficult to find children for such training programmes, but now they are reposing faith in us. Many schools are approaching us for national integration tours," said the GOC of 57 Mountain Division, which spearheads anti-insurgency operations in the state along with Assam Rifles.

Md Edrish, an athlete from a village in Bishnupur district, said he won a bronze medal representing Manipur in the national U-18 athletics in Patna this year. He is currently training at the SAI facility in Imphal.

Stating that he runs 800 metres, 1500 metres and 3,000 metres, Edrish told PTI, "I want to represent the country in the Asian Games."
Golka Singh, a Class 12 student in Kakchin town, also nurtures the dream of joining the Indian Army