Script and Video Edit: Zijah Sherwani
There's one thing about being suspicious of the unknown and another about being aloof. Northeast India, its culture, and its people have long been misunderstood, questioned, and, well, mistreated by the mainland. But things change when these same people win medals for India. It's a fact that India's Northeast, the cradle of Olympians, has produced an endless line-up of sporting superstars.
In our special series, 'Homegrown Heroes,' The Quint brings you the extraordinary sports stars from the Northeast.
Once bullied as a kid due to his stammering, Amlan Borgohain from Assam's Jorhat is now the fastest Indian man and an example both on and off the field.
Did you know that as a young kid, boxer Sarita Devi carried guns for insurgents in Manipur? Boxing saved her life, and now she has dedicated her life to underprivileged kids whom she trains in her academy.
From living in a kucha house until 2013, which used to flood during rains, to a motorable road being built to her village in Golaghat, Assam only after her Olympic win, World Boxing Champion Lovlina Borgohain has witnessed the world change around her massively.
Her father cried inconsolably when she had to leave her hometown in Mayang Imphal at the age of 11 to take Judo training in Bellary in 2017. Five years later, 16-year-old Linthoi Chanambam became India's first-ever Judo world champion.
Get ready to delve into the untold stories, uncover their real selves, and forge a deeper connection with these remarkable individuals.
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