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KOHIMA — For the first time, Nagaland will host the National School Games (U-19 Girls Sepaktakraw) at Indira Gandhi Stadium (IGS), Kohima. The inaugural event of the 68th edition of the games will take place on November 25 at 1 pm.
This was announced during a press conference on Saturday at IGS Kohima, addressed by secretary of Youth Resources and Sports (YRS), Anthony Ngullie; director of YRS, Kethosituo Sekhose; additional director of YRS, Megolhu Dolie; and other officials.
Ngullie said preparations are in full swing for the tournament while announcing that 17 teams, including Nagaland, will be participating. The other teams are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Vidya Bharathi, Manipur, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Kerala, Delhi, Bihar, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh.
Sekhose, while acknowledging Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is the minister-in-charge who greenlit the department to host the SGFI tournament, informed that out of the 38 units under SGFI, 17 teams would participate. He also mentioned that some teams began arriving on Saturday, with more expected to arrive on Sunday.
The tournament will start on Monday, November 25, and the finals will be played on November 27.
He informed that officials from the SGFI, as well as officials from the All India Sepaktakraw Federation, will be present to conduct the tournament. Additionally, five to six officials from Nagaland will assist in organising the event.
The director stated that the tournament will feature about five athletes from each team and will include two major events: the regu event and the doubles event. In the regu event, three players will be on the field, with two standby players. In the doubles event, two players will be on the field, with one standby.
He maintained that, as of today, four players from Nagaland have nearly become permanent members of the Indian Sepaktakraw team for girls and one for the boys. He highlighted that these four girls and the boy also participated in the recent King's Cup in Thailand and are currently undergoing training.
Further, he added that the players have recently completed a camp for the Indian team, and the Nagaland team is now preparing for the upcoming Senior National Games. He pointed out that the Sepaktakraw Federation of India is highly supportive of Nagaland, as the state has shown a lot of promise in recent years.
For the 68th National School Games (U-19 Girls Sepaktakraw), about 150 persons, including players, management, coaches, and other officials, will take part. The games will be played on a league-cum-knockout basis in both disciplines.
Sekhose stated that the under-19 category was chosen because it provides an opportunity for players who have never trained in Sepaktakraw to gain exposure, allowing them to participate in future SGFI games.
The inaugural ceremony will have Abu Metha, Advisor to the Chief Minister, Vice President of the Athletics Federation of India, and Secretary General of the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA), as the special guest. The closing ceremony will feature Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, Advisor for School Education and SCERT, as the special guest.
The director revealed that the International Sepaktakraw Federation has asked Nagaland to host a world championship next year. A slot has been offered, although the state has yet to formally submit a proposal.
Hornbill Esports finale on December 6 and 7
It was also informed on the occasion that the finale of the first season of the Hornbill Esports Tournament will be held on December 6 and 7 at Hall-B of IGS Kohima.
The preliminary online rounds have been completed. It was highlighted that four teams will compete in Dota 2, 16 teams in BGMI, along with FIFA matches and a cosplay display by selected individuals and professionals.
The director has invited all youths and schoolchildren, whose exams are over, to be a part of this event.
Hornbill indigenous games
Further, the department will organise four different indigenous games at Kisama during the Hornbill Festival. Additionally, indigenous games will be held in in Wokha, Peren, Tuensang, and Khonoma. The department will also assist the Nagaland Wrestling Association in organising the annual Hornbill Wrestling Meet.
At Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, the events will be as follows: on December 2, there will be the stilt bamboo race; on December 3, the broad jump, both of which will be tourist events with free entry. On December 4, there will be the traditional shotput, and on December 5, a traditional tug-of-war among the tribes.