Manipur riot survivor, JeJem ran but now for the prize in Kerala
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Jejem and Catherine Maria at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium
Thiruvananthapuram: JeJem, an eight-year-old Manipuri girl who escaped the Manipur riots, is forging her path in Kerala. Her journey is no longer a race for survival but a sprint towards victory on a synthetic track.
At the district athletic meet, JeJem displayed her exceptional talent by securing second place in the under-10 girls' 100-meter race with a time of 17.5 seconds.
JeJem, formerly known as Hoineijem Vaiphei in Manipur, belongs to the Kuki society. She was welcomed by her relatives working in Kerala in July 2023, thanks to the support of the state government, which provided her with educational opportunities.
In Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram, JeJem enrolled as a third-class student at the Government Model HSLPS. The state's education minister, V. Shivankutty, personally greeted and received her. Her schoolmates affectionately nicknamed her JeJem.
Under headmaster Shaji, the government school in Thycaud hosts numerous special programs, with JeJem receiving special attention in all of them. Recently, Ramila assumed the role of sports teacher, and despite limited training time, she expressed her satisfaction with JeJem's performance.
JeJem's classmate and friend, Catherine Maria, clinched the first position in the 50-meter dash with a time of 16.9 seconds at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium. JeJem and Catherine also secured third place in the 4x50 relay. Catherine's outstanding performance extends beyond this, as she also holds the top rank in the 50-meter dash.
The school's Parent and Teacher Association is gearing up to honour Teacher Ramila and the winners, including Catherine, JeJem, Arjun Vijay, Ashwin David, Badrinath, Niranjan, Keerthana, and Monica.