HITTING THE HIGHS IN HOCKEY
Femina|December 2023
He comes from Manipur, the land of football, but SHANGLAKPAM NILAKANTA SHARMA has big hockey dreams, he tells Kayal Arivalan
Kayal Arivalan
HITTING THE HIGHS IN HOCKEY

Hailing from Kontha Ahallup Makha Leikai in Imphal East, Shanglakpam Nilakanta Sharma's journey into hockey commenced in 2003, running contrary to the football-centric sports culture of Manipur. He first joined the Posterior Hockey Academy Manipur, making a switch to the Bhopal Hockey Academy in 2011. This important transition set the stage for his illustrious career. "I've seen my brothers play hockey, and that had a huge influence on me," recalls the 28-year-old midfielder. "There was a ground right in front of my house, where many people played hockey regularly. I watched them and learned the nuances by observing them; that's where it all started for me," he adds.

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