Teams representing the 32 competing units of the Nagaland Police at the opening ceremony of the 39th Nagaland Police Duty-cum-Sports Meet 2021 at the Nagaland Police Complex, Chümoukedima on November 12.
IOA chief and CM Rio calls for gender parity at Nagaland police sports meet
Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 12
After a one year hiatus, the annual sports summit of the Nagaland Police is currently underway at the Nagaland Police Complex, Chümoukedima, Dimapur. It was suspended in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officially called the Nagaland Police Duty-cum-Sports Meet 2021, this year’s is the 39th edition and will conclude on November 18. This year, the event has a 250-strong contingent representing 32 units of the state police and 209 medals to win. Besides sports, the annual summit also features competitive events related to the profession.
The opening ceremony was held today with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio as special guest and President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra as guest of honour.
The ceremony also coincided with the unveiling of the Foundation Plaque of the Nagaland Police Sports Battalion, an election pledge of Rio’s government. As stated by him during the 2021-2022 Budget speech earlier this year in February, the existing police sports complex in Chümoukedima will be converted into a “centre for sporting excellence.”
The IOA President, Dr Batra termed the initiative as an “innovative idea,” which the other states should also try to emulate. As FIH President, he called for the development of hockey in the state, while stating that effort should go into establishing hockey infrastructure. If it is done, he assured of brining hockey events to the state.
Many may not be aware, but, the Police Complex in Chümoukedima has a hockey ground, which has hardly seen any hockey.
While promoting sports in general, he reminded that sensitivity to gender balance in sports is also a must. As per news reports, almost 49 percent of the athletes during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics were female.
Dr Batra’s remark on gender parity in sports was consonant with Rio’s, who said, “Not men alone but women must be given equal importance. This is a big challenge for all of us.” In his inaugural address, Rio expressed confidence that sports in a small state like Nagaland would advance under the leadership of Batra as the IOA head. While recalling that Nagaland got affiliated to the IOA only in 2004, he said, “The nation knows Nagaland as a backward and troubled and resource-crunch state… We have been pushed back by insurgency (and other troubles).”
With the laying of the foundation plaque for the Police Sports Battalion, he said that the state aims to promote sport and give equal opportunity to the police personnel. He however did not provide any further details or timeline to complete raising the proposed sports unit.
He added that Nagaland is all set to host a series of big sports events in the coming months like the Indian National Rally Championship and South Asian Cross Country Championship (SACCC) 2022.
Family Welfare Competition
The Family Welfare Competition, organized by the Nagaland Police Family Welfare Association & wives of police officers and other ranks, started today at the hockey. The competition features exhibits produced by police personnel. It was inaugurated by CM Neiphiu Rio’s wife, Kaisa Rio.
