Gymnastic in Tripura

The Physical Education Department of Tripura has organised the coaching camp in Gymnastic at Agartala in the year 1963 first time. Survir Singh, NIS coach conducted the coaching camp for 21 days at Umakanta Academy.

In the year 1964, the Physical Education Department has wanted again the services of a NIS Gymnastic coach to conduct a coaching camp. Then NIS has deputed Dalip Singh, NIS Gymnastic Coach to conduct a coaching camp for 21 days at Tripura, which was organised in Basic Training College, Agartala. In this training period the boys of Tripura have shown very good performance from where he submitted the report to NIS that, ‘The Tripura boys may have capabilities to made them international standard of Gymnast and I hope that if I could produce the Gymnast of international standard in India hen Tripura is the only accurate place.’

The Physical Education Department of Tripura then again wanted service of a coach from NIS for one year, so that the boys of Tripura can be put under intensive coaching camp so that they may learn the techniques of Gymnastics for a long period. NIS granted this proposal of Tripura Government and deputed Dalip Singh again in Tripura for one year. Dalip Singh came to Agartala on December 22, 1964 and after joining in the office he requested the Physical Department concerned that he is in need of two assistants as Junior Instructor to help him. Rati Ranjan Datta and Sunil Debberma were attached to assist by the department.

Though this basic sports Gymnastics introduced in India a long back but not before early sixties this artistic sports came in our tiny land of Tripura. That was Ramesh Roy under whose aspiration Gymnastics was introduced in Tripura. The then Superintendent of Physical Education Sri Roy with the help of Manoranjan Pal and Jogendra Nath Datta started to train the boys in Gymnastics in Vivakananda Vyamagar in 1961. But what we have seen today the Gymnastics is not in that nature at that time. Only a few exercises vigorous in nature represent the Gymnastics in those early days.

In Tripura Gymnastics got its actual shape from Dalip Singh and International Gymnast and coach came to Tripura. In true sense Dalip Singh is the man who introduced the modern Gymnastics in this state, developed it and also enlightened the name and fame of the state at the National level. A long back, in 1987, Dalip Singh passed away but his influence on this game still exists, so as to call him the father of Gymnastics in Tripura. Dalip Singh who came over Tripura in the life here for development of this sports.

Before Dalip Singh another NIS coach Survir Singh came over Tripura I the year 1963. But he failed to achieve the goal what his successor did. Dalip Singh started his venture from famous Vivekananda Vyamagar with his two local associate Sunil Debbarma and Rati Ranjan Datta. In those early days there was no such equipment what we have today. The condition of the apparatus were so poor that boys and girls of nowadays can’t dream of it.

But in the joy of new invention a few talented boys with their father like coach started practicing with endeavor. Mr. Singh started hunting the talents in different schools in the city and with his capacity to find out the talents he selects eleven boys from different schools, and in the long run they become the glory of the state. Mantu Debnath, the ‘Aurjun’ of the state was one of those boys detected by Dalip Singh, the other boys were Bharat Kishore Debbarma, Madhusudhan Saha, Anil Sarkar, Nityananda Dey, Radha Raman Das, Samir Bhattacherjee, Brajalal Bhowmik, Subhash Chowdhury, Dipal Kumar Dey and Hari Narayan Dey.

In a year or so, under the proper guidance of Dalip Singh the boys became fit to participate in National Championship. In the year 1965 Tripura team comprising of four talented boys participated in first ever National Championship in Bombay. In their first appearance they prove themselves an upcoming power in the field of Gymnastics. That was an indication that the state will dominate the Gymnastics of the country. Today statistics speaks that it was a reality. In the first ever National Championship Bharat Kishore Dabbarma became he first ever-gold medallist of Tripura. Apart from his gold in Vaulting Horse he got another Bronze medal in Floor Exercises. Other than Bharat Kishore, for the glorious performance of Nityananda Day, Madhusudan Saha and Radha Raman Das Tripura team got the second position in the championship.

List of boys, girls/women Gymnast team who were participant in National championship held at Agartala, Tripura in the year 1967, are give below:

Boys Team: Bharat Kishore Debbarma, Nityananda Day, Radha Raman Das, Madhusudhan Saha, Mantu Debnath, Samir Bhattacherjee.

Girls Team: Mallika Deb, Manika Debnath, Lopa Mudra Ghosh, Karabi Saha, Kalpana Debnath, Gitibandhana Dasgupta.

Women Team: Neoti Debnath, Pranati Modak, Meena Day, Sheoli Roy, Nilima Majumder.

With this glorious result Tripura draw the attention of the national field. In the state it created a great enthusiasm, among the young boys and girls to become a Gymnast. That time there was no existence of proper Association. But without the existence of any Association it was not possible to participate in National Championship. In that tremendous result of Tripura boys a few interested persons in the state felt the necessity to form one Association. In the year 1966 first Association was formed under the leadership of the then Chief Minister SL Singh. Dalip Singh took the charge of secretary ship and Mrinal Kanti Chakraborty becomes the President. Though the Netaji Subhas Regional Coaching Center was the main center for practicing Gymnastics but in few other places this game was also introduced. In Vivekananda Vyamagar it was a running game, but gradually it spread in Dhirendra Vyamagar Tarun Vyamagar & Chalaman Sangha and all these organisations along with Gymnastics club became the officiated unit of Tripura Gymnastics Association full body of Association.

Tripura Gymnastic Association formed in 1966

Patron: SL Singh, Chief Minister, Tripura.

President: MK Chakraborty, Dy Director, YP.

Vice President: Jogendra Nath Datta, B Majumder.

Secretary: Dalip Singh.

Treasurer: Narayan Chakraborty.

Members: TN Datta, JL Chakraborty, PN Singh, Jammuna Das (Agiya Cholo Sangha), Abani Mohan Acherjee (Dhirendra Vyammagar), Ashotuhs Debnath (Vivekananda Vyammagar), Sunil Debbarma (Vivekananda Vyamagar), Rupendra Bhowmik (Tarun Vyamagar), Keshab Bhattacherjee (Chalaman Sangha), Rati Ranjan Datta (Gymnastics Club).

With the help of Tripura talents this game became very popular in the state. To make it more popular Tripura Gymnastics Association took a venture to organize first ever-National meet in the state in the year 1967. In that meet Mallika Deb created a history by wining the first medal (Bronze) as a girl of this state.

From that period Tripura started its domination over Gymnastics arena of the country. Particularly in the school games Tripura became unparallel in both boys and girls sections. From 1966 to 1985, long 19 years, Tripura was the champion in both the sections. But after that period domination started in respect of Gymnastics of the state. Then Para military forces and other organisations extended job to many talents of the state. As a result Tripura started suffering in different competitions. Thus poor result effected very badly among the youth of the state. But since last four years or so, talented coaches of the state, with the sincere help of state Government started a new venture to pick up Tripura in its old place. For their hard work and sincerity Tripura again came in the top of the list of school national in the year 1996/97. After a gap of 12years Tripura boys tool the championship in Calcutta.

Tripura hosted another national Championship of boys and girls in the year 1976 at Agartala. This is for the third time Tripura; is going to organise another National Championship. After organising the first national championship in 1967 Tripura Gymnastics started triumph at National level. This time too, we hope after a bad patch Tripura will start to regain its lost glory from this championship. I am confident, with the active help of Government our sincere coaches and talented boys and girls will surely achieve the goal in a short run.

Not only that the Tripura have produced so many national champion to Indian National standard of Gymnastic and so many international standard of Gymnasts who have participated in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Indo-USSR meets and World Invitational Tournament at USSR from the year 1968 to 1971 and 1973 to 1985. The list of international standard of Gymnasts is,

Mantu Debnath: So many time champion at National and School National games, 2 times international (One Gold at USSR).

BS Nandi: So many time champion at National and School National games, 10 times international (One Gold, One Silver and 2 Bronze at Pakistan and Teheran).

Madhusudan Saha: So many time champions at National and School National games, one international.
Lopa Mudra Ghosh: So many time champions at National and School National games, one international.
Ratan Debnath: So many time champions at National and School National games, one international.
So many Gymnast of Tripura won national and international championship, who are in different services like Railway, ITBP, CRPF, BSF, SAI etc. They are Debasish Dam Chowdhury, Balaram Shil, Bijan Saha, Rathindra Roy, Tapas Deb and ‘Arjuna’ Gymnast Kalpana Debnath.

The Present Committee:

President: Samir Chakraborty.  
Vice-Presidents: Haripada Chakraborty, Manik Saha, Bharat Kishor Debbarma, Bimal Kumar
                          Roy Chowdhury.    
General Secretary: Dilip Bhattacharjee.
Joint Secretaries: Jhunulal Dey, Matilal Pal.                                                  
Treasurer: Ranjan Bardhan. 

Affiliated Clubs: United BST, Lal Bahadur Vayamagar, Ramakrishna Club, Forward Club, Umakanta SAI Center, Vivekananda Vayamagar, Netajee Play Center, Chhatrabandhu Club, Agartala Gymnastic Club, Grandiose Club, Udiyaman Sangha, Ram Thakur Sangha, Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Club, Flowers Club, Tarun Sangha, Arabinda Club and Chaloman Sangha.

Affiliated Sub-divisions: Sadar, Udaipur and Dharmanagars.

Domestic Tournaments: State Meet Gymnastic Tournament for Senior Level, Junior Level and Sub Junior Level.  

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