Nagaland players excel at National Mega Darts Event in Kolkata

DIMAPUR — A contingent of 11 dart players from Nagaland participated in the National Mega Darts Event held at the Tollygunge Club, Kolkata, from October 3 to the 5th.

According to an update, the event featured three major competitions — the World Darts Championship 2025–26 India Qualifier, the Youth National Championship, and the inaugural Indian Darts League (IDL). It was organised under the aegis of the Indian Darts Council (IDC).

In the World Darts Championship 2025–26 India Qualifier, Limatoshi secured joint fifth place, Vikeheilie Suohu finished in joint ninth place, and Kezhaletuo Semou and Kikruneizo Zatsu shared joint seventeenth place.

A major highlight of the qualifiers was Limatoshi’s 4–1 victory over India’s top-ranked player, Nitin Kumar, in the second qualifying round. This result opened the contest for India’s sole spot at the World Darts Championship 2025 at Ally Pally, London.

However, Nitin Kumar went on to win the final qualifier, earning his place in the championship, INR 30,000 in prize money, and a guaranteed £15,000 (approximately INR 18 lakh).

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The Indian Darts League 2025 made its debut with 16 franchise teams, a player auction, and a total prize pool of over INR 8,00,000.

Naga players made a notable impact, with Simon Kelio and Kezhaletuo Semou (TBC Darters, Kolkata) and Kikruneizo Zatsu (Planet Darters) securing joint third place and receiving INR 50,000 each.

The league’s highlight came when Limatoshi, representing the Biscotti Barrels (Kolkata), won the championship title by hitting the final checkout dart in the decisive match. His team received the IDL 2025 Champion Trophy and a total cash prize of INR 4,00,000.

Meanwhile, on October 5, during the event, officials of the Nagaland Darts Association (NDA) held strategic discussions with national and international darts bodies.

NDA representatives met with the Indian Darts Council (IDC), led by Devesh Srivastava, president of IDC, to discuss initiatives for the growth and development of darts in Nagaland and across India.

Both organisations deliberated on strengthening grassroots participation, supporting young players, and establishing frameworks for the holistic development of the sport. They also agreed to collaborate on policies focusing on youth development and talent nurturing.

The NDA also held discussions with Steve Brown, founder and chairman of the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC), UK, and Darren Barson, CEO of JDC, regarding the establishment of darts academies for players under 18 years.

The NDA anticipates implementing selected JDC programmes in Nagaland under the guidance of the IDC, aimed at providing structured training and international exposure for young players.

Further strengthening its partnerships, the NDA met with Joshua, Asia-Pacific ambassador of DartsConnect (the official scorekeeper for the Professional Darts Corporation – PDC), and Nancy, president of the Malaysia Darts Association.

The discussions focused on future collaborations in technical support, tournament participation, and knowledge exchange to improve the standard of darts in Nagaland.