DIPHU — The Khel Maharan state-level football tournament for Under 19 boys and girls kicked off at Karbi Anglong Sports Association (KASA) stadium on Monday with teams from 35 districts of Assam vying for the title.
Organised by the Director of Sports and Youth Welfare; District Administration, Karbi Anglong; and District Sports and Youth Welfare department under Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), the event aims at identifying talents in the state.
Inaugurating the tournament in the presence of MLA Darsing Ronghang and several other officials, Chief Executive Member (CEM) of KAAC, Tuliram Ronghang highlighted sports infrastructure being developed in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong, saying that sports complexes had been constructed in all 26 MAC constituencies under the Chief Minister Special package of INR 10 crore.
“Karbi Anglong has won the All Assam Basketball Championship, badminton and football Assam championship. Karbi Anglong is slowly but gradually developing sports culture,” he said, adding that 71 players from Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong participated in five events at the Khel Maharan.
The CEM added that athletes who win at the national events will be given officer and inspector-rank posts in KAAC.
In Under 19 girls’ matches played at Diphu Sports Complex, Golaghat defeated Udalguri 1-0 in the first match of the inaugural day while West Karbi Anglong defeated Sonitpur 4-1 and Majuli beat Nalbari 1-0. At the KASA stadium, Tinsukia defeated Hojai 3-0; Tamulpur beat Kamrup (Rural) 3-0; and Karbi Anglong defeated Nagaon 2-0.
Players from 35 participating districts along with the officials took part in the march past during the inaugural ceremony.