Zoramthanga (boxer)

Zoramthanga (also known as Zoram Thanga or T. Zoramthanga, born as Run Nawn Thang, 1963 [1] – 9 February 2005) was an amateur boxer who is remembered as the first Indian to win a bronze medal at the Boxing World Cup.[2]

For the article about the Mizoram politician, see Pu Zoramthanga.

Zoramthanga
Personal information
NationalityIndian
CitizenshipIndian
Born1963
Falam, Chin State, Myanmar
Died(2005-02-09)9 February 2005
Aizawl, Mizoram, India
Sport
SportAmateur boxing
Medal record
Representing  India
Boxing World Cup
1990 Bombay Light flyweight

Biography

Zoramthanga was born Run Nawn to a Chin family in Selawn village near the town of Falam in Chin State, Myanmar. His family moved to Tithim village near Tahan-Kalaymyo. There he joined the Myanmar Army and took up boxing.[3][4]

To further his career, Zoramthanga moved to Mizoram in India, changing his name and jumpstarting his boxing career in 1985. He won a gold medal at the Mizoram-Myanmar Champhai Border Championships in his weight category the same year.

Zoramthanga participated in several national and international boxing championships for Mizoram and India. He fared well at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow in 1989, where he reached the quarter finals, before losing to Rogelio Marcelo.

As a flyweight, he represented India at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. In his first bout, he defeated Pupuke Robati of the Cook Islands before losing his second fight to Nokuthula Tshabangu of Zimbabwe.[5]

His greatest success came at the 6th Boxing World Cup in Mumbai in 1990, where he won a bronze medal in the light flyweight category. He defeated Jin Yang of South Korea on points in the preliminaries, and Paul Weir of Scotland in the quarterfinals, also on points. He lost to eventual champion Eric Griffin of United States in the semi-finals on points. However, unlike most amateur boxing tournaments, the Boxing World Cup had a third place play-off to decide the bronze medal position. Zoramthanga defeated fellow Indian boxer Dhamendar Yadav 17–4 on points to clinch the bronze medal.[6] This was India's first medal in an international boxing tournament outside the Asian Games.

Following the win, the Government of Mizoram made him the Sports Promotion Officer of the state. He retired from boxing in 1992. He held the post of Sports Promotion Officer until he died abruptly of hypertension at the Lunglei Civil Hospital in Lunglei, Mizoram on 9 February 2005. He was survived by his wife and three children.

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References
  1. Indian boxer passes away. Telegraphindia.com (10 February 2005). Retrieved on 13 April 2014.
  2. Speech by Governor of Mizoram to 2nd Mizoram State Legislative Assembly, March 16, 1991. Neportal.org. Retrieved on 13 April 2014.
  3. The great Chin boxer Zoramthanga died; The Chinland guardian. 10 February 2005
  4. The Hindu: Zoramthanga passes away. Hinduonnet.com (10 February 2005). Retrieved on 13 April 2014.
  5. "14.Commonwealth Games - Auckland, New Zealand - January 24 - February 3 1990". amateur-boxing.strefa.pl. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  6. Amateur boxing records. Amateur-boxing.strefa.pl (12 February 2014). Retrieved on 13 April 2014.
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