L. Irabanta Singh receives a memento from M. Pahari, joint director of the youth affairs and sports department, at Manipur Press club in Imphal on Sunday. Picture by Eastern Projectionss

Imphal, Feb. 12: Junior Mr India L. Irabanta Singh has asked for financial assistance from the Manipur government to help bodybuilding sports in the state.

With the modern day dietary supplements being almost unaffordable by most of the body-builders because of lack of regular funding resources, the state body-builders were doing their best competing with better-fed ones from across the country.

“Nevertheless, we are doing our best and at the same time bringing laurels for the state,” Irabanta said in a candid chat.

There are many prospective body-builders in the state, but some never see their days of reckoning as a huge amount of money is involved on diet alone and the sport is slowly dying out. “This is where the state government can step in to help by giving them the needed boost in their future endeavours,” he said.

Irabanta, who lifted the Junior Mr India title in the 65-kg category along with other body-builders, has brought laurels to the state by bagging the overall team champion’s title in the 46th Junior Mr India Contest, 2008 in Orissa. The All Manipur Body-building Association gave them a warm reception at the Manipur Press Club here on Sunday.

Irabanta said now that he had made some inroads into the Indian body-building circuit, he was looking forward to the Asian circle.

The Junior Mr India is also the reigning Mr Manipur, who believes in having a goal in life with discipline, sincerity and determination infused in it.

After he was conferred the title of Junior Mr India, the Indian Body-building Federation had selected him to represent the nation in the Southeast Asia Contest at Kathmandu and Mr Asia Contest at Hongkong this year.

Irabanta admitted to being influenced by body-building performances during the Lai Haraoba ritual in his locality. But later, the All Manipur Bodybuilding Association stopped these performances.

However, he wanted some alternatives to be worked out to reach the far-flung areas.