When Konthoujam Deben Singh suffered a stroke in 2015, he had to leave his job. His wife then had to venture out of home to keep things going in the poor family by selling vegetables at the Khwairamband Bazar in Imphal (Manipur),25km from her home.
That never detered the mother from encouraging her son, who had but one passion in life.
Football.
Today, their son, who left home at the age of 11 to a place more than 2000 kms away, became India's first, and so far only, scorer of a goal in a FIFA world cup.
Jeakson Singh Thaunaojam - this goal against Colombia in the Under -17 soccer world cup match belongs to your mother, much more than it does to you, much more than it does to everyone else.
When Jeakson headed the ball into the Colombian goal, I shouted in joy, and I cried.
It's an achievement that fills me, and I am sure many of us with pride and hope - and reincforces the belief that there is nothing in this world greater than a mother.
