Nagaland state badminton meet gets underway

“The state and the department concerned has failed to acknowledge and give due credit to the sportspersons”

KOHIMA, JULY 27: Organized by the Nagaland Badminton Association (NBA), the Yonex-Sunrise 40th Nagaland Inter District and State Open Badminton Championship started on Wednesday at the Indoor badminton Stadium, Officers Hill Colony in Kohima. The event was hosted by Kohima District Badminton Association (KDBA). Three hundred and sixteen players from 10 districts are taking part in the championship. Three national level umpires are the officials for the championship namely Gyneshwor, International Referee, Roben and Pradeep Singh.
The three-day championship has two hundred and twenty five veteran players, sixty one boys and thirty girls under various categories from the district of Kohima, Wokha, Zunheboto, Dimapur, Mokokchung, Peren, Mon and also from the Nagaland Police.
Gracing the inaugural program as the chief guest, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Neikiesalie Kire, said that there has been lots of progress and improvement among the Nagas in the field of sports and games in the recent years, the players have brought pride and laurels to the state.
He however, noted that the state and the department concerned has failed to acknowledge and give due credit to the sportspersons who have achieved success at national level. In this regard, he has asked the department concerned to acknowledge any sportsperson representing the state, in days to come, by giving due recognition and credit.
Y Vikheho Swu, President NBA in his presidential address expressed pride that athletes from the state have been performing well at the National level for the past 3 years consecutively. The successful players from the state at the national level were Imlirenla Jamir, Joseph Sumi, Raju Chhetri and Tajenkaba Lkr. He also informed that the department of Youth Resources and Sports has included Badminton in the academy since 2015, whereby it has also penned a MoU with the department for independent management of Badminton Stadiums and Multipurpose Halls in the state to be looked after by the respective district badminton association for effective and efficient management of the available infrastructures and amenities.