Sports minister Kiren Rijiju sanctions 5 lakh for ailing Indian junior footballer Ramananda Ningthoujam

India's Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Kiren Rijiju has sanctioned a sum of 5 lakh INR for the aid of Indian junior footballer Ramananda Ningthoujam.

The youngster is suffering from kidney issues and blurred vision and has been hospitalised in Manipur.

Ramananda Ningthoujam, who hails from Moirang in Manipur, is the eldest son of a rickshaw-puller and has represented the Indian football team at the junior-age levels. He played for the Blues at the U-17 Asian Football Soccer Championships held in Guwahati, Assam in 2017. At the lower-age groups, he turned out for India in the U-12/U-13 National Sub-Junior Championships in Kalyani (2013) and the U-15 National Championships in Delhi (2015).

Considering the financial situation of Ramananda Ningthoujam's family and the serious medical conditions that he is suffering from, the sports minister sanctioned the financial assistance of 5 lakhs INR from the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons.

The young Ramananda Ningthoujam is currently hospitalised at the Shija Hospital in Manipur and undergoing treatment for his condition. The sports minister has promised to help more, if needed, and wished him a speedy recovery from his ailment.

The financial assistance by the central government comes as a major boost for the treatment of Ramananda after Manipur chief minister Nongthombam Biren Singh had recently helped with funds as well.

Ramananda Ningthoujam's friends and family members had raised money for his treatment by launching a Facebook campaign, which received a good amount of support from Indian football fans.

It is certainly a commendable gesture shown by the sports minister, the Manipur chief minister as well as the Indian football fans in the country as they came together in support of the well-being of a young Indian footballer.