Nagaland Police Duty-cum- Sports Meet, which began in 1967, is witnessing sportsmen and women participants from 31 units vying for 409 medals this year.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on Friday laid the foundation of the “Exclusive Sports Battalion” in the state.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 39th Nagaland Police Duty-cum-Sports meet and also unveiling of the foundation stone of “Nagaland Police Sports Battalion” at the NAPTC Stadium, Chumukedima, Dimapur, Rio said that establishment of this battalion was in the manifesto of his party-Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in 2018.
Rio supplemented it by stating that the “special battalion” was also created to promote, give opportunity and platform to uniformed personnel. He later unveiled the foundation plaque of the “Nagaland Police Sports Battalion”.
Nagas pushed back due to insurgency
Neiphiu Rio also stated that Nagaland is known as a “troubled and backward” state by the nation and is far behind many states in all aspects.
Noting an example that the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association (IAO) only in the year 2004, 41 years after IAO’s existence, Rio said that much was “pushed back” due to insurgency in the state and also of not realizing to “come and work” together for all practical purposes.
He hoped that since the “ceasefire and dialogue” is going on, Nagas would realize the yearn for peace and development in order to let the Naga youth get opportunities and a platform to compete as according to him, the Nagas have potential in sports.
International Hockey Tournament in Nagaland
Special guest, President, Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and International Hockey Federation India (FIH), Narinder Dhruv Batra, who was the special guest at the 39th Nagaland Police Duty-cum-Sports meet, disclosed that the main purpose of visiting Nagaland was to see that sports grow in the state as he foresees lots of potentials in the field of sports.
Stating that his visit is just the beginning, Batra said he would regularly visit the state in order to overview how much the association could take sportspersons from the state further.
On special package (s) for Hockey discipline in Nagaland, Batra said he was informed that Nagaland has already bought hockey turf and assured that once the turf is laid, an “International Hockey Tournament” would be organized in the state while also assuring to conduct few days camps for the Indian Hockey Team in the state to let them interact and experience that Naga players are no different from them.
Stating that when players from Manipur and Mizoram have already made it into international sporting arenas, the IOA president said he doesn’t see any reason why Nagaland players will not participate in the 2024 and 2028 Olympics.
Meanwhile, the Nagaland Police Duty-cum- Sports Meet, which began in 1967, is witnessing sportsmen and women participants from 31 units vying for 409 medals this year.