The All Manipur Polo Association is excited in sharing the responsibility of organizing the 3rd Statehood Day Women’s Polo tournament at the historic polo ground of the world following the two previous tournaments. The Association has been a pioneer in the promotion and development of women’s polo in Manipur and initiated the first women’s polo tournament in the early 1990’s. The association will wholeheartedly extend its support in organizing the tournament under the aegis of the Tourism Department, Government of Manipur.
This tournament will feature women’s polo team from four different continents namely Australia, Kenya, USA and India (represented by Women polo team from Manipur itself). Ministry of Tourism, Government of India is sponsoring the participating international teams. “We are looking to develop Manipur as an international destination of Polo in India, and with the help of our celebrated women, make Manipur a home for women’s polo”, quoted PK Singh, Principal Secretary (Tourism) of the Government of Manipur. The tournament itself showcases Manipur as “India’s center for women’s polo”. The purpose of participation of the international players is to support the development of women’s polo in the world. “We have been helping develop this tournament for Manipur since 2016. But if it were not for the Manipuri women players, we would not have been inspired to help build this tournament to support and encourage them as well as other women players in India,” mentioned Ed Armstrong, adviser-partner of Huntre! Equine and Secretary and Treasurer of the American International Polo Federation, who put together the US team. Manipur, being the birth place of Modern polo is campaigning to save the endangered Manipuri pony and promoting its polo tourism.
