Dingko Singh, who died at the age of 42 due to cancer, is credited to putting Indian Boxing on the world map due to his gold in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.
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December 17, 1998. It was a red-letter day in the history of Indian sport. On that day, Indian boxing was imprinted on the world map of glory. Dingko Singh from Imphal created history as he became the first boxer from Northeast India to have won the gold medal in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. The win in Bangkok 23 years ago blazed a new trail for Indian Boxing in that era. 16 years ago, Kaur Singh won the gold medal in the 91kg heavyweight division in New Delhi. However, Dingko achieved this in the Bantamweight division which was in the lighter weight category.
The word Dingko became synonymous with boxing excellence in his time. The last two words of his name, KO, could literally mean knockout. Dingko excelled at a time when the Boxing infrastructure in the country was not upto the mark. Thanks to Dingko, a generation of accomplished north-eastern boxing stars, including M Sunranjoy Singh, L Devendro Singh and L Sarita Devi among several others all made their mark on the world stage. The likes of Vijender Singh can also credit their rise to the Dingko effect.
Born in Sekta in 1979, Dingko was brought up in an orphanage and he immediately took a liking to Boxing. By at the age of 10, during the junior nationals in Ambala, Dingko showed his worth and maturity as a boxer. Under the guidance of major OP Bhatia, Dingko honed his skills brilliantly. Akhil Kumar, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and Jay Kowli, former secretary general of the BFI, have all spoken about the power and method that Dingko used to gain success.
Writing in the Indian Express, Kowli said, “I have always seen his nose down and guard up always. A very, very scientific way of boxing, he was very quick, very swift and very precise. His left hook – right cross combination, would floor one of the best boxers chins and I have seen many of them going down like fallen handkerchiefs.”
Even Akhil Kumar has attested to his true power. “Those left hooks, that aggression, he was so inspiring. I saw him intently during a National championship. What a personality he had. I know how ferocious he was because I have also taken a few of his punches during national camps,” Akhil Kumar told PTI.
It has been remarked that the 1998 gold medal in Bangkok would not have been possible. Dingko Singh was dropped from the Asiad squad and he threatened suicide. Later on, it was revealed that Dingko had taken to drinking heavily. In subsequent years, those drinking sessions would prove to be too much to handle for his body.
When the authorities included Dingko Singh for the Asian Games, he repaid their faith in grand style. Dingko achieved a major upset by defeating Wong Prages Sontaya from Thailand in the semifinal. In the final, fought Uzbekistan’s Timur Tulyakov. At that time, Timur held the No. 5 ranking in the division in the world. Dingko had just moved up to the 54 kg category from the 51 kg a few months back before winning the gold.
During the match, he proved to be far better than his opponent and Timur had to retire after the fourth round of the fight. Dingko had scaled the pinnacle of success in boxing at a time when India was struggling for world glory. Following the Asiad gold, Dingko was honored with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 1998 and later with the Padma Shri Award, the country’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2013.
The Manipuri boxer himself never attempted to create a trailblazing path after his 1998 win. With this victory, northeast boxing got a major boost. The likes of MC Mary Kom and Sarita Devi were all motivated to emulate Dingko.
As a Navy person, Dingko had an orderly life about him. However, his life came crashing down after the success of the Asiad. Early exits from the 2000 Olympics and the 2002 Commonwealth Games left Dingko’s career at crossroads.
It wasn’t too long before he hung up his gloves and took to coaching at Imphal’s Sports Authority of India centre. He was suspended from that job in 2014 after allegedly beating up a female weightlifter at the facility for merely professing her affection towards him. However, Dingko had another majot battle to fight.
In 2017, Dingko Singh was diagnosed with liver cancer. The sight of the Asian Games hero looking frail but determined was gut-wrenching. Help did come from many quarters and he was fighting the disease in his own way. However, His misery compounded with jaundice and COVID-19 in June 2020 which needed one month of hospitalisation and he was overcome by a “sense of relief” on returning home, calling it the toughest one month in a long, long time.
There will never be another Dingko Singh in boxing. The exploits of Mary Kom and L Sarita Devi as well as Vijender, Akhil Kumar have all gotten recognition primarily due to the 1998 Asiad exploits by Dingko Singh. His toughness and his straightforward attitude made him a hero in many ways.
At the age of 42, losing Dingko Singh is a body blow for Indian sport. The tributes that have flown in on social media by many prominent personalities highlight the heroism that he still enjoyed. Dingko Singh even gave assurance when he was suffering that he is alright and there is nothing to be worried about.
The northeast region of India has produced many great boxing champions in the current and the past. But, Dingko Singh will forever be remembered as the trailblazer who put Indian boxing on the World Map. Rest in Peace, Dingko Singh. Thank you for making boxing the ultimate sport for many Indian sporting personalities. You will be missed.
