IMPHAL, November 27: As a part of the ongoing Manipur Sangai Festival 2013, a local boat racing competion was today organized at Takmu Sports Complex at Loktak lake.
The Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association, Bishnupur District Canoeing and Kayaking Association, Film Forum Manipur had jointly organized the competition in which M Prithviraj Singh, parliamentary secretary of Tourism, Youth Affairs and Sports; Dr Th Dhabali Singh, managing director of Babina Healthcare and Hospitality Industries Pvt Ltd and also president of the Manipur Tourism Forum; Dr L Surjit Singh, president of MMTA and also chairman of IMF – NEZSCC and Khamba Salam, president of ISTV were presidium members at the function.
Distribution of prizes of the boat racing competition to the respective participants, traditional boat fishing, wind surfing, water surfing and water zorbing demonstration were the main event of the function.
However, the start of the program was delayed for two hours due to the late arrival of the VIPs and dignitaries thereby compelled the foreign tourists of Germany, Thailand and USA leaving the event prematurely.
A tourist interacted with IFP that his present visit in Manipur is the third one and further continued that he would like to view how the women on boat handles the fishing net at Loktak lake.
The tourist further added that all his desires could not be materialized owing to limitation of time. However, he had captured on his camera the preparation of the demonstration, fishing net, boat, oar, rowers and also the large audience.
The audience was spellbound by the boat racing demonstration by the Manipur film actors and actresses.