An important milestone for Indian Wushu was reached when Hanjabam Langlentombi Devi of Manipur became the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in the Asian Taolu Cup. The first Asian Taolu Cup and the second Asian Sanda Cup, both staged in Songyuan, Jilin Province, China, saw historic victories. With a score of 9.643, Langlentombi won the silver medal in the Nanquan competition, defeating a group of fierce competitors from all over Asia. In addition to placing her on the podium, her performance put India on the medal table in one of the major Wushu competitions on the continent. Beginning on July 4th, the Wushu Federation of Asia held two competitions that showcased the top players in the sport and drew 271 competitors and officials from 20 countries and regions.
Langlentombi is from the Imphal East district’s Wangkhei Ayangpalli. Her parents are Kongbarilatpam Kamala Devi and Hanjabam Jayadev Sharma. The accomplishment is regarded as a turning point for Indian women in Wushu, a martial art that has been gaining popularity over time but is not yet included in the Olympic program. Given that martial arts have strong cultural ties in the Northeast of India, Langlentombi’s success may encourage more people to participate in and promote the sport there. Her performance has been praised by the Indian Wushu community as a turning point, and national-level instructors and administrators have emphasized the necessity of more training facilities and global exposure to build on such successes.