GUWAHATI: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh was on Wednesday conferred the Grand Master 9th DAN by the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation (GTTF).
He was presented the title by GTTF president Grand Master Jun Lee at the inaugural function of the 1st Manipur State Poomsae Taekwondo Championship 2026 at Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium in Imphal.
During the event, Singh showcased his martial arts skills and reflexes, reflecting his years of dedication and experience in the discipline.
Addressing the gathering, he said the championship would help elevate local taekwondo aspirants to the international level. He was confident the championship would contribute to the growth and development of taekwondo and take the discipline to greater heights in the future.
Lauding the chief minister, Lee stated that Singh was one of India’s most outstanding taekwondo players in the early 1980s, who had won the national championship multiple times and was one of the pioneers of taekwondo in India.
He said many know Singh as a leader but long before he entered politics, he was a taekwondo champion and he still is a taekwondo man.
Singh began training in taekwondo at the age of 16. He is the founder president of All Assam Taekwondo Association. In the early 1980s, he emerged as a key figure in popularising taekwondo in India and played an important role in the formation of the Taekwondo Federation of India, where he served as vice president.
Meanwhile, as part of the programme in Imphal, the Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association presented a demonstration of Thang-Ta, the traditional martial art of Manipur, while students from Shinhan University in South Korea delivered a breathtaking performance.
The 31-member GTTF delegation, which is on a visit to Manipur from October 19 to 24, includes three-time Olympic medalist Hwang Kyung-Seon.
