Many know him as a leader, but long before he entered politics, he was a Taekwondo Champion, and he is still a taekwondo man,” Lee said
KRC TIMES Manipur Bureau
IMPHAL | Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh was conferred the Grand Master 9th Dan title by the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation (GTTF) at the inaugural ceremony of the 1st Manipur State Poomsae Taekwondo Championship 2026 in Imphal on Wednesday.
GTTF president Grand Master Jun Lee presented the title to Singh at Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium. The chief minister also demonstrated his martial arts skills and reflexes during the programme, according to a press release issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said the championship, held with the participation of a delegation led by Lee from South Korea, the birthplace of taekwondo, would provide practitioners from Manipur with greater international exposure.
He expressed hope that the event would popularise poomsae, a form of taekwondo focused on structured movement patterns and techniques, and help expand the sport’s reach across the state.
Praising the chief minister’s sporting background, Lee said Singh had been among India’s prominent taekwondo practitioners in the early 1980s. He added that Singh had won national championships multiple times and was among the pioneers of the discipline in the country.
“Many know him as a leader, but long before he entered politics, he was a Taekwondo Champion, and he is still a taekwondo man,” Lee said.
Manipur Home and Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Govindas Konthoujam said the state had considerable sporting talent across disciplines and described the championship as a foundation for developing a stronger and more inclusive taekwondo movement.
He stressed the need to build a sporting culture that promotes discipline, equal opportunities and recognition of young people’s talent and determination. Konthoujam also urged the youth to reject violence and contribute to a peaceful society through sports.
The programme included a demonstration of Thang-Ta, Manipur’s traditional martial art, by the Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association. Students from South Korea’s Shinhan University also performed at the event.
A 31-member GTTF delegation is visiting Manipur from October 19 to 24. The delegation includes Hwang Kyung-Seon, a three-time Olympic medallist.
MLAs, senior administrative officers, officials of the Youth Affairs and Sports Department, coaches, students and parents attended the ceremony.
