Name of the sportsperson: Dingko Singh
Date Of Birth: January 1,1979
Discipline: Boxing
State: Manipur
Achievements:
• Won the King's cup in Bangkok in 1997
• Won the Asian Games gold in the 1998 Bangkok Games
• Arjuna Award in 1998.
Dingko Singh had been the most sought after pugilist India has ever produced. Long before stalwarts like Vijendra and Akhil Kumar, Dingko Singh was the flag-bearer of Indian boxing. He has inspired Magnificent Mary MC Mary Kom to take up boxing. He was born in Manipur in a poor family and faced hardships in his early life as he was brought up in an orphanage.
The trainers at a Special Area Games scheme initiated by the Sports Authority of India identified the hidden talent of Dingko. Dingko’s talent, efforts and training began paying off when he won the Sub-Junior National Boxing Championship in 1989 at Ambala at a young age of just 10 years. This achievement brought Dingko into the eyes of the selectors and coaches, who began to see him as a promising boxing star of India.
Dingko made a thumping entry in the International boxing when he won the Kings Cup in 1997 held in Bangkok, Thailand.
He was selected for the Indian boxing squad participating in the Bangkok Asian Games 1998, although nobody was expecting him to bring nation a big laurel. In fact, even two hours before his flight for Bangkok took off, Dingko had reportedly no idea whether he would be selected for the event or not. The event proved to be the Dingko's lucky ground and he created a history by winning the gold medal in the 54 kg bantamweight category of the Boxing event at the Bangkok Asian Games 1998.
To commemorate his excellence in the sport of boxing and his extra-ordinary contribution to the nation by his consistent efforts and dedication, Dingko Singh was honored with the prestigious Arjuna Award in the year 1998.
