JoyceBpo44 at 18:20, 18 April 2026

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{{short description|Indian footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Meitei name|[[Oinam (surname)|Oinam]]|Bembem|Devi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Bembem Devi
| fullname = Bembem Devi Oinam
| image = The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Arjuna Award, 2017 to Ms. Oinam Bembem Devi for Football, in a glittering ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 29, 2017.jpg
| caption = The President, [[Ram Nath Kovind]] presenting the [[Arjuna Award]] to Bembem Devi, 29 August 2017.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|04|4|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Imphal]], [[Manipur]], India
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=2}}<ref name="lm1"/>
| position = [[Midfielder]]
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| clubs1 = [[Manipur women's football team|Manipur]]
| years1 =
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| clubs2 = [[New Radiant W.S.C.|New Radiant]]
| years2 = 2014–2015
| caps2 = 3 
| goals2 = 6
| clubs3 = [[Eastern Sporting Union]]
| years3 = 2016–2017
| caps3 = 9
| goals3 = 3
| nationalteam1 = [[India women's national football team|India]]
| nationalyears1 = 1995–2016
| nationalcaps1 = 82
| nationalgoals1 = 18
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Country|{{fbw|IND}}}}
{{Medal|Competition |[[SAFF Women's Championship]] }}
{{Medal|W | [[2010 SAFF Women's Championship|2010 Bangladesh]]|}}
{{Medal|W | [[2012 SAFF Women's Championship|2012 Sri Lanka]]|}}
{{Medal|W | [[2014 SAFF Women's Championship|2014 Pakistan]]|}}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Football at the South Asian Games|South Asian Games]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[2010 South Asian Games|2010 Bangladesh]] | [[Football at the 2010 South Asian Games – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{Medal|Gold | [[2016 South Asian Games|2016 India]] | [[Football at the 2016 South Asian Games – Women's tournament|Team]] }}
| manageryears1 = 2016–2018
| managerclubs1 = [[Eastern Sporting Union]]
| manageryears2 = 2018
| managerclubs2 = [[India women's national under-17 football team|India Women U17]] (assistant)
| manageryears3 = 2019–
| managerclubs3 = [[Manipur Police Sports Club|Manipur Police]]
| manageryears4 = 2021–2022
| managerclubs4 = [[Manipur women's football team|Manipur Women]]
| manageryears5 = 2022
| managerclubs5 = [[India women's national football team|India Women]] (assistant)
}}
'''Bembem Devi Oinam''' ({{langx|mni|Oinam Bembem Devi}}, born 4 April 1980) is an Indian football coach and former footballer from [[Manipur]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/indian-football-down-the-years-looking-back-at-the-glorious-moments#|title=Indian Football Down the Years: Looking back at the glorious moments|first=AIFF|last=Media Team|website=www.the-aiff.com|publisher=[[All India Football Federation]]|language=en|trans-title=|location=New Delhi|agency=|date=15 August 2022|access-date=20 October 2022|archive-date=21 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921011335/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/indian-football-down-the-years-looking-back-at-the-glorious-moments}}</ref> In 2017, she was honoured with the [[Arjuna Award]] by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.ndtv.com/football/i-dedicate-my-arjuna-award-to-the-women-of-india-Bembem-Devi-1740573|title=I Dedicate My Arjuna Award To The Women Of India: Bembem Devi|author=Joy Tirkey|date=22 August 2017|access-date=22 August 2017|archive-date=19 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819105036/https://sports.ndtv.com/football/i-dedicate-my-arjuna-award-to-the-women-of-india-Bembem-Devi-1740573|url-status=live}}</ref> She was nicknamed the ''Durga of Indian Football'' and is currently involved in spreading awareness about Women's football in India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/womens-football-star-Oinam-Bembem-Devi-wins-arjuna-award/12mcm3vpux9h812tnwadchh7ks|title=WOMEN'S FOOTBALL STAR OINAM BEMBEM DEVI WINS ARJUNA AWARD|date=20 August 2017|access-date=22 August 2017|archive-date=30 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830062159/http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/womens-football-star-Oinam-Bembem-Devi-wins-arjuna-award/12mcm3vpux9h812tnwadchh7ks|url-status=live}}</ref>

Oinam Bembem Devi is the recipient of India's highly prestigious award [[Padma Shri]] 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Padma Awards 2020 Announced |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=197647 |website=pib.gov.in |access-date=13 February 2020 |archive-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201184851/https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=197647 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=The Hindu Net Desk |title=Full list of 2020 Padma awardees |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/full-list-of-2020-padma-awardees/article30656841.ece |work=The Hindu |date=26 January 2020 |language=en-IN |access-date=13 February 2020 |archive-date=29 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229152750/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/full-list-of-2020-padma-awardees/article30656841.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Early life and club career==
Devi began her career as a footballer in 1988 when she began training at the United Pioneers Club in Imphal.<ref name="lm1">{{cite web|last1=Desai|first1=Shail|title=Bembem Devi: Indian football's unsung legend|date=29 October 2016|url=http://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/62GqLmltmi29s0jMXdDr7I/Bembem-Devi-Indian-footballs-unsung-legend.html|publisher=Livemint|access-date=30 October 2016|archive-date=5 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305012852/http://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/62GqLmltmi29s0jMXdDr7I/Bembem-Devi-Indian-footballs-unsung-legend.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1991, she was selected to represent the [[Manipur]] U-13 team in the sub-junior football tournament. Her performances in the tournament seeham was signed up by Yawa Singjamei Leishangthem Lekai club, and two years later, by the Social Union Nascent (SUN) Club.<ref name="Bembem Devi Stint">{{cite web|first=Boudhayan|last=Sarbajna|title=Oinam Bembem Devi's & Lako Phuti Bhutia's Foreign Stint Signals A Bright Future For Indian Women Football|url=http://www.thehardtackle.com/2014/oinam-bembem-devis-lako-phuti-bhutia-s-foreign-stint-signals-a-bright-future-for-indian-women-football/|work=The Hard Tackle|date=26 June 2014|access-date=20 July 2014|archive-date=16 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416051218/http://www.thehardtackle.com/2014/oinam-bembem-devis-lako-phuti-bhutia-s-foreign-stint-signals-a-bright-future-for-indian-women-football/|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the national level, Devi is a regular member of the [[Manipur]] state football team for woman since the year 1993. She has been appointed the captain of her state team since the 32nd National Games held in [[Hyderabad]], where she led her state to victory.<ref name="Bembem Devi Stint"/>

In the match against defending champions Sun hotels and resorts, Bembem scored in both halves to help New Radiant WSC to a comfortable 4–0 win, securing them a spot in the semi-finals against Sun Hotels and Resorts. In the semi-finals, they defeated Sun hotels and resorts 5–1 and entered the final. The Final match was held on 21 June 2014 between New Radiant SC and Maldives National Defence Force. Bembem Devi scored in 9th and 26th minute of the match, to help New Radiant WSC achieve a historic 5–1 win over MNDF to win the league.<ref name="Bembem Devi Stint"/>

Bembem Devi ended up as the top scorer of the [[2014 FAM Women's Football Championship|tournament]] with 6 goals in just 3 matches. She also provided 4 assists and she was awarded the Player of The Tournament for her excellent performances.<ref name="Bembem Devi Stint"/>

==International career==
At the age of 15, Bembem made her international debut against [[Guam women's national football team|Guam]] in the Asian Women's Championships.

The turning point in her career came at the 1996 [[Asian Games]], where the Indian national team were drawn in a group alongside [[Japan]] and neighbours [[Nepal]]. They lost to Japan 1-0 and won against Nepal 1-0 to progress from the group with Japan. In round 2 they would be drawn in a tough group alongside the national teams of [[Uzbekistan]], [[Turkmenistan]] and [[North Korea]]. They lost all their matches but by then Oinam Bemben Devi had announced her arrival at the national stage.<ref name="Bembem Devi Stint"/>

Before the 1997 AFC Cup in [[China]], the Indian eve's team were sent to [[Germany]] for a month-long camp, where the national team players were trained by German coaches and played against German oppositions. The camp proved vital as the Indian team won 3-0 against [[Hong-Kong]], [[Japan]] the top ranked team in women’ s football, defeated India 1-0 and in their final group game encounter India thrashed [[Guam]] 10-0.<ref name="Bembem Devi Stint"/>

She was given the armband of the Indian contingent in the AFC qualifying competition, held in [[Thailand]] in 2003. She was the captain of the Indian team that emerged winners at the 11th [[South Asian Games]] held in [[Bangladesh]], in 2010 and the [[2012 SAFF Women's Championship]] held in [[Sri Lanka]] in the year 2012.<ref name="Bembem Devi Stint"/>

She played her last game on 15 February against Nepal, at the 12th South Asian Games in Shillong.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.catchnews.com/football-news/south-asian-games-2016-legendary-bembem-devi-set-for-final-football-match-of-career-1455446800.html|title=Football News, India Football News, Latest Football News Headlines | Today Football News | Catch News|access-date=15 February 2016|archive-date=8 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108133537/http://www.catchnews.com/football-news/south-asian-games-2016-legendary-bembem-devi-set-for-final-football-match-of-career-1455446800.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She finished her international career with 82 caps.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/why-india-star-bala-devi-may-miss-the-first-woman-s-football-league/story-EFizCcOU52XVe2BQAChQFK.html|title=Why India star Bala Devi may miss the first woman's football league|work=-Hindustan Times |date=27 January 2017 |access-date=27 January 2017}}</ref>

== Career statistics ==
{{Updated|15 February 2016}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="3" |Appearances and Goals by year
|-
!Years
!Caps
!Goals
|-
|1995–2007
|
|
|-
|2010
|10
|4
|-
|2011
|6
|1
|-
|2012
|5
|5
|-
|2013
|3
|0
|-
|2014
|2
|2
|-
|2015
|2
|0
|-
|2016
|5
|0
|-
!Total
!33
!12
|}

== As manager ==
Devi was appointed as manager of [[Eastern Sporting Union]] in 2017 [[Indian Women's League]] final rounds. She also became the first manager of [[Indian Women's League]] history to claim the tournament title also as a player. In 2018, she was assigned as the assistant coach for the India U17 women's team.<ref name="Bembem Devi Coach">{{cite web|title=The thrill of winning a match as a coach is immense– Bembem Devi|url=https://khelnow.com/news/article/saff-u15-championship-2018-bembem-devi-india-assistant-coach|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811121626/https://khelnow.com/news/article/saff-u15-championship-2018-bembem-devi-india-assistant-coach|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 August 2018|work=AIFF|date=11 August 2018|access-date=15 September 2018}}</ref>

In the [[2018-19 Indian Women's League final round|2018–19 Indian Women's League]] season, she managed [[Manipur Police Sports Club]].

==Honours==
[[File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi felicitating the Indian football legends, at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup match, in New Delhi (4).jpg|thumb|Bembem Devi being felicitated by the Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] at the inauguration of [[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup]] in New Delhi.]]

===Player===

'''India'''
* [[Football at the South Asian Games|South Asian Games]] Gold medal: [[Football at the 2010 South Asian Games – Women's tournament|2010]], [[Football at the 2016 South Asian Games – Women's tournament|2016]]
* [[SAFF Women's Championship]]: [[2010 SAFF Women's Championship|2010]], [[2012 SAFF Women's Championship|2012]], [[2014 SAFF Women's Championship|2014]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/list-of-athletes-recommended-for-arjuna-awards-4780670/|title=List of athletes recommended for Arjuna Awards|date=3 August 2017|access-date=26 August 2017|archive-date=19 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819105039/https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/list-of-athletes-recommended-for-arjuna-awards-4780670/|url-status=live}}</ref>

'''Eastern Sporting Union'''
* [[Indian Women's League]]: [[2016–17 Indian Women's League season|2016–17]]

'''Manipur'''
*[[Rajmata Jijabai Trophy]]: [[2013–14 Rajmata Jijabai Trophy|2013–14]]

'''New Radiant WSC'''<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sun.mv/43069/ | title=NRSC wins Women's Football Championship | publisher=Sun Online | language=Divehi | date=21 June 2014 | access-date=21 June 2014 | archive-date=24 June 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624005710/http://www.sun.mv/43069 }}</ref>
*[[FAM Women's Football Championship]]: [[2014 FAM Women's Football Championship|2014]], [[2015 FAM Women's Football Championship|2015]]

===Manager===

'''Eastern Sporting Union'''
* [[Indian Women's League]]: [[2016–17 Indian Women's League season|2016–17]]

'''Manipur'''
* [[Rajmata Jijabai Trophy]]: [[2021–22 Rajmata Jijabai Trophy|2021–22]]

===Individual===
* FAM Premier League Player of the Tournament: 2014–15
* [[AIFF Player of the Year|AIFF Women's Player of the Year]] (2): 2001, 2013<ref name="Bembem Devi Stint"/><ref>{{cite web|title=2013 AIFF Awards given away to Footballers in New Delhi|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/02/2013-aiff-awards-given-away-to-footballers-in-new-delhi/|work=IANS|publisher=news.biharprabha.com|access-date=14 February 2014|archive-date=20 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020085048/http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/02/2013-aiff-awards-given-away-to-footballers-in-new-delhi/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Arjuna Award]]: [[List of Arjuna Award recipients (2010–2019)|2017]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yas.nic.in/yasroot/awards/arjuna.htm#Football|title=LIST OF ARJUNA AWARD WINNERS - Football {{!}} Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225221945/http://yas.nic.in/yasroot/awards/arjuna.htm#Football|archive-date=25 December 2007|access-date=25 December 2007|website=yas.nic.in|publisher=Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=List of Arjuna Awardees (1961–2018)|url=https://yas.nic.in/sites/default/files/LIST%20OF%20ARJUNA%20AWARDEES.docx%2061%20-%2017_0_0.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India)|access-date=12 September 2020|archive-date=18 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718084523/https://yas.nic.in/sites/default/files/LIST%20OF%20ARJUNA%20AWARDEES.docx%2061%20-%2017_0_0.pdf}}</ref>
* [[File:Padma Shri Ribbon.svg|50px]] [[Padma Shri]]: [[List of Padma Shri award recipients (2020–2029)|2020]]

==See also==
* [[List of Indian football players in foreign leagues]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last1=Kapadia |first1=Novy |year=2017|title=Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football |publisher=Penguin Random House |isbn=978-0-143-42641-7 }}
* {{cite book|title=Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora|year=2001|publisher=Frank Cass Publishers|location=[[London]], United Kingdom|isbn=978-0-7146-8170-2|page=33|last1=Dineo|first1=Paul|last2=Mills|first2=James|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=71JHZiiP3hoC|archive-date=25 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725072732/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Soccer_in_South_Asia.html?id=71JHZiiP3hoC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y}}
*{{cite book |last1=Martinez| first1=Dolores |last2=Mukharji |first2=Projit B|year=2009|title=Football: From England to the World: The Many Lives of Indian Football |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nbzhAQAAQBAJ&q=kerala+footballer+in+Burma |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-138-88353-6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702174505/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=nbzhAQAAQBAJ&dq=kerala+footballer+in+Burma&source=gbs_navlinks_s |archive-date=2 July 2022 }}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/royal-wahingdoh-girls-meet-their-role-models|date=11 February 2016|website=the-aiff.com|publisher=All India Football Federation|location=New Delhi|title=Royal Wahingdoh girls meet their role models|access-date=28 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101154411/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/royal-wahingdoh-girls-meet-their-role-models|archive-date=1 January 2024}}

==External links==
* [http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=194298 Indian Express, Football Nationals]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090425181034/http://kolkatafootball.com/bembem_devi.htm Bembem Devi profile]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041502/http://newradiantsc.com/v2/newsdetail.php?id=275 Two Indian players join Women's team]}}

{{India squad 2003 AFC Women's Championship}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Sports}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oinam}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Imphal]]
[[Category:Indian women's footballers]]
[[Category:India women's international footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's footballers in the Maldives]]
[[Category:New Radiant S.C. players]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Manipur]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1998 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2014 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Women's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian sportswomen]]
[[Category:Eastern Sporting Union players]]
[[Category:South Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:Asian Games footballers for India]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports]]
[[Category:South Asian Games medalists in football]]
[[Category:Indian expatriate women's footballers]]
[[Category:Indian expatriate sportspeople in the Maldives]]
[[Category:Indian football coaches]]
[[Category:Indian women's football managers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:Indian Women's League players]]
[[Category:2003 AFC Women's Championship players]]

Bembem Devi Oinam - Revision history

JoyceBpo44 at 18:20, 18 April 2026