Nagaland will host the Athletics Federation of India Annual General Meeting in Kohima for the first time, marking a major milestone for sports in the state.
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KOHIMA — Nagaland is set to host the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the first time, with the meeting scheduled to be held in Kohima from April 13 to the 16th.
The announcement was made on Friday by Abu Metha, Associate Vice-President of the AFI and President of the Nagaland Athletics Association (NAA), during a press conference at the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) office in Kohima.
Metha said the AGM would mark the first instance of any national sports federation holding its AGM in Nagaland. Delegates are expected to arrive on April 13, with the main proceedings scheduled for April 14 and 15, and departures on April 16.
Describing the event as “historic” and a “red-letter” occasion, he said the AFI’s decision reflects its commitment to inclusivity and its effort to use sport as a platform to promote national integration and unity.
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Close to 100 delegates from across the country, including representatives from states, union territories, sports boards, corporate partners and the private sector, are expected to attend the three-day event, which will be held at Hotel Vivor in Kohima.
Metha said the federation is also expecting the presence of former sportspersons, national awardees and Arjuna Awardees, including Bahadur Singh, Anju Bobby George and Jyoti Shikdar.
He informed that the NAA will host the entire executive body of the AFI, along with the President of the South Asian Athletic Federation and the Vice President of World Athletics.
According to Metha, the AGM will deliberate on AFI activities and prepare a roadmap for India’s participation in upcoming international events, including the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, World Indoor Championships and World Under-20 Championships.
He said discussions would also focus on preparations of the Indian team, including coaching camps, international exposure and athlete participation abroad, as well as development of athletics, infrastructure expansion and integration of the Northeast into the international sports ecosystem.
Metha added that the AGM will include interactions with district-level athletic associations to strengthen grassroots engagement, and will deliberate separately on Nagaland and the Northeast, focusing on capacity-building programmes for coaches, technical officials, organisers and event managers.
He said a senior AFI delegation will meet the state government, including the Chief Minister and the Governor, to explore collaboration for sports development. The Chief Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the AGM, while the Governor will host the delegation at Lok Bhavan.
The NAA will also present a report during the AGM outlining existing infrastructure and development requirements in the state.
Metha said visiting delegates would be given a cultural and tourism experience of Nagaland, adding that the event would help enhance the state’s visibility at national and international levels.
Meanwhile, he congratulated athletes from Nagaland who participated in the Khelo India Tribal Games, stating that the team, in its first appearance, won one gold, one silver and one bronze medal in athletics.