Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh Conferred Grand Master 9th DAN Title

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been conferred the Grand Master 9th DAN title by the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation (GTTF) in recognition of his longstanding contribution to Taekwondo.

GTTF President Grand Master Jun Lee presented the honour during the inaugural ceremony of the 1st Manipur State Poomsae Taekwondo Championship 2026 at Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium in Imphal.

Lee described Khemchand Singh as one of India’s outstanding Taekwondo practitioners of the early 1980s, highlighting his multiple Indian National Championship victories. The Chief Minister also demonstrated his martial arts skills at the event.

Khemchand Singh expressed hope that the championship would improve the standards of Taekwondo in Manipur and create opportunities for local practitioners to compete internationally.

State Sports Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh urged young people to reject violence and promote peace through sports.

The programme also featured a demonstration of Manipur’s traditional martial art, Thang-Ta, and a performance by students from Shinhan University, South Korea.

A 31-member GTTF delegation, including three-time Olympic champion Hwang Kyung-Seon, is visiting Manipur from October 19 to 24, 2026.