Commonwealth Games gold medalist Mirabai Chanu appeals for peace in her home state Manipur
Jul 20, 2023
New Delhi [India], July 20 : Indian weightlifter and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has expressed her views on the Manipur violence while requesting the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to resolve the issue.
"It has been three months since the violence has broken out in the state of Manipur and the situation is not getting better. Many sports players are being restricted from training and students are not being able to study properly," 28-year-old Saikhom Mirabai Chanu said in a tweet on July 17.
Chanu added, "Many people have died, and houses have been burned amidst the ongoing crisis in Manipur."
Commonwealth Games gold medalist said, "Manipur is my hometown, currently, I am in the USA preparing for the upcoming World Championship and Asian Games. I am not in Manipur but I still wonder when the dust will settle and peace is restored in Manipur."
Lastly, she said, "I want to appeal to the Prime Minister and Home Minister, to restore peace in the state and bring back the prosperity back to Manipur."
Mirabai Chanu lifted a total of 201 kg, winning the Gold Medal at the CWG 2022. She won the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Women's 49 kg category.
Mirabai Chanu has won the World Championships and multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games. She was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contributions to the sport. She was awarded the sporting honour Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna by the Government of India in 2018.
Chanu won the silver medal in the women's 48 kg weight class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow; she went on to break the games record en route to the gold medal at the 2018 edition of the event held in Gold Coast.
Prior to the 2020 Summer Olympics, her biggest achievement came in 2017, when she won the gold medal at World Weightlifting Championships held in Anaheim, California. She is the current world record holder in Clean & Jerk in the 49 kg category.
