India has won the U-16 South Asian Football Federation title five times.
Nearly 200 people have been killed, hundreds left injured or maimed, and tens of thousands have been displaced in the ethnic violence that has roiled Manipur since early May. The state has been bleeding for months as the warring Meitei and Kuki tribes exact a terrible toll on each other. Neither the state nor the centre has been able to bring peace to the troubled north-eastern state. But where they failed, two teen boys might succeed in uniting Manipur, and India.
Meet Bharat Lairenjam, a Meitei, and Levis Zangminlun, a Kuki, who put aside the hostilities back home and led India to a historic win at the South Asian Football Federation Championship. Bharat and Levis scored the winning goals for the country as India beat Bangladesh 2-0 in Bhutan's Thimphu and lifted the SAFF U-16 title for a record-extending fifth time.
In fact, India owes its success to strife-torn Manipur, since 16 of the 23 boys who played are from the north-eastern state. Of the 15, 11 are from the Meitei community and four are from the Kukis.
READ | 3 Kuki-Zo Tribals Shot Dead Allegedly By Terror Groups In Manipur
And, in a sobering reminder to the adults, they have prayed for peace to return to their state.
An elated Bharat said he was delighted to score a goal (he scored the opening one after just nine minutes) and called it his "goal of the championship". "Although players belong to different communities in the team, we mingle together happily in good team spirit," he told reporters.
READ |Manipur Government Condemns "Unwanted Actions" Of Central Security Forces
"My teammate, midfielder Levis, told me before the match I should score to win the match... and his goal was a crucial one for India to grab the title. I rushed to him and gave him a tight hug!" On the crisis in Manipur, Bharat said he prayed for normalcy... for the "good old days".
Levis told reporters he felt nervous when he stepped out for the final.
"However, my confidence came as I scored the second goal. Football serves as our passion... uniting and allowing us to set aside differences," the young boy, who also plays for a Hyderabad club, said.