Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio urged corporate and institutional support at the Athletics Federation of India AGM in Kohima to bridge sports infrastructure gaps in the Northeast.
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KOHIMA — Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday called for greater investment and institutional support to develop sports in the Northeast, urging corporates to step in through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to address infrastructure gaps and unlock the region’s talent potential.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Hotel Vivor, Kohima, Rio said that while the youth of Nagaland and the Northeast are “vibrant, talented and committed,” raw talent alone is not sufficient without proper coaching, discipline, motivation and exposure.
He pointed out that the state continues to face significant infrastructure constraints, with only one synthetic track currently available at Indira Gandhi Stadium in Kohima. He said efforts are underway to develop another track in Chümoukedima.
Highlighting institutional gaps, Rio said Nagaland still does not have an establishment of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), adding that the state has requested for such a facility. He informed that a stadium with a seating capacity of 35,000 is under construction and is expected to be taken over for further development, including football grounds, tracks and hostel facilities.
Rio said that Nagaland was affiliated with the Indian Olympic Association only after 41 years of statehood, which put the state behind others. He attributed this delay to prolonged unrest, insurgency and instability, noting that the state had long been marked as a disturbed area. However, he added that significant progress has been made since affiliation, citing Olympian Chekrovolu Swuro as a notable achievement.
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He said that hosting the AFI AGM in the Northeast promotes national integration, as many delegates would otherwise not have had the opportunity to visit Nagaland. Such engagements, he said, would strengthen unity.
Rio also spoke on the political history and identity of the Nagas, noting that while Nagas across contiguous areas are not physically integrated, they are “emotionally integrated”. He added that the Nagaland Legislative Assembly currently has an opposition-less government working towards an early solution to the Naga political issue.
Welcoming delegates on behalf of the Nagaland Olympic Association and the people of the state, he described the AGM as a first-of-its-kind event for Nagaland and expressed hope that it would take meaningful decisions for the development of sports in the country and beyond.
Meanwhile, Lalit K. Bhanot, President of the South Asian Athletics Federation, appreciated the Government of Nagaland for hosting the meeting and assured support for the development of athletics in the state.
“We will extend all cooperation, including technical support, to Nagaland to develop athletes and athletics activities in the state,” he said.
He also encouraged the setting up of athletics academies and said athletes from the region could excel in middle- and long-distance running and race walking, where endurance plays a key role.
During the programme, Abu Metha, President of the Nagaland Athletics Association and Vice-President, delivered the welcome address and introductory remarks.