After Kaur Singh's top finish at the 1982 edition of the regional showpiece, Dingko's gold in Bangkok was the first for Indian boxing in 16 years.
Dingko received the Arjuna award the same year he won his career's most important medal. For his contributions to the sport, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2013.
He was also an Olympian, having competed for his country at the 2000 Sydney Games, but was unable to go past the pre-quarters.
After retiring from the Indian Navy, Dingko began coaching at Imphal's Sports Authority of India Centre, but ailments slowed his progress, and he spent the last portion of his life primarily confined to his home.