Manipur is still plagued by the ethnic violence. The civil war between the two communities, Meitei and Kukies has come up mainly on the possession of land and influence. Statistics show more than 160 people from both communities have died in the clash and more than 50 thousand individuals have been displaced from their homes. 

Shyamnagar, the town in North 24 Parganas in Bengal has created an essence of a little ‘Manipur’ after 24 kids from the beleaguered state arrived following an appeal from their temporary guardian, Milan, a former footballer to give shelter at the residential football school, United Sports Club has developed in the town. 

The 24 kids who were already training at an academy in the troubled state between the age group of 13, 15, and 17 years have been training at the United SC academy at Shyamnagar for the last month. Apart from Milan, the director of the academy in Manipur a cook from Manipur also is here with them. 

Interestingly, there are a couple of trainees who are from Kuki as well as from Meitei, the communities that have been involved in a cruel battle over the last four months in the besieged state. Here at Shyamnagar, the communities have no clash. They are training together, living together, and keeping in touch with their respective parents almost every day. 

Nabab Bhattacharya, the United SC director commented on the issue, “They have no problem here. They are living like friends. More importantly, some of them are so potential that they can get into the youth teams of United SC even in the next year.” 

The boys are training with other academy students under four coaches mainly, Rajarshi Ghosh, Debraj Chatterjee, Dibyendu Roy, and Prasenjit Ghosh. The 24 boys are: Kheljeet (GK), Chelson, Kapoujean, Kiran, Rickson, Lanchenba, Ushandra, Mochabi, Island, Khemchand, Pahari, Palin, Dayananda, Pemso, Ngamshang, Chipemme, Yaikhomba, Yarthar, Ronalson, Sitaljit, Yaiphaba, Sohel, Chingmitham, and Lankeshwor.