Thank grandmother Laibi for supporting girls in football: Indian team member Nirmala Phanjoubam

Imphal, Oct 21 (PTI) Nirmala Phanjoubam, who is part of the Indian women's football team that would engage in a friendly match with Iran marking the commencement of Tri-Nation Cup in Shillong on Tuesday, thanked her mentor 'Ebo' (grandmother) Laibi for supporting her and other girls in playing the beautiful game.

Despite having no prior experience in managing a football club, Laibi Phanjoubam dedicated her life for the last 30 years to training local women from the Loi Scheduled Caste community in Andro, around an hour's drive from Imphal, in the game to wean them away from insurgency. She established Andro Mahila Mandal Association Football Club (AMMA FC) in 1993.

Standing barely four-feet-tall, Laibi, now 65 years old, said that her efforts have not only managed to prevent women from joining militancy in Andro, which was a hotbed in the early nineties, but also produced professional players who went on to represent the state and the country, like Nirmala.

Speaking to PTI, Nirmala said, "I have fond memories of 'Ebo' (grandmother) Laibi... We used to stay at her residence as well as the club during my time in the club from 2015 to 2020. She is more than a mentor... we could share all our personal issues with her." Nirmala, who plays in a Tamil Nadu-based club, was also recently part of Manipur state team that won the 30th senior women's football championship in Chhattisgarh.

Laibi has been pouring her energy, money and time to run AMMA FC, giving women a chance to play the game outside the boundaries of Andro, a village of 1,000 people (as per Census 2011).

Speaking to PTI, Laibi said, "During the 90s, there was widespread political unrest in our village and many of our youth were tempted to join the insurgency movement. The club was raised to veer the young girls into sports, make them healthy, self-reliant and successful in the field." "The biggest challenge in running the club has been lack of financial support. In the beginning, we used to hold charity shows and local programmes to raise funds. Now, we are to trying to keep afloat the club by contributing in whatever personal capacity we can. Andro Mahila Mandal has also taken up equal responsibility to run the club," Laibi, a retired school teacher, said.

The club has been affiliated to All Manipur Football Association since 1999 and currently trains junior girls.

"In a village like ours which lacks modern amenities, football is loved. Our ultimate objective now is to train and nurture our girls so that they play the sport in national and international events," she added.

"Currently, 20 girls are being trained by a coach. Since all of them come from financially weaker families, the club takes care of their food and transportation during trials for tournaments or periodic camps and they would stay at my house too," Laibi added.

The girls now look up to Nirmala and hope to represent the state and the country in future.

AMMA FC also teaches computer, weaving and sericulture skills, she added.

Laibi's story has been featured in 2023 documentary 'Andro Dreams', which was screened at the prestigious 54th International Film Festival of India 2023. PTI COR ACD