Nagaland Olympic & Paralympic Games 2024 opening ceremony held at the Nagaland Cricket Stadium in Chümoukedima on February 12. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Chümoukedima| February 12
TheNagaland Olympic & Paralympic Games 2024 was inaugurated on Monday evening by Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio at a grand opening ceremony, which was held at the packed Nagaland Cricket Stadium in Chümoukedima.
Kalyan Chaubey, President, All India Football Federation & Vice President, Indian Olympic Association and Girish Shenoy Head of Sales, United Breweries graced the occasion as honoured guests during its third edition.
While appreciating the Nagas and its ‘beautiful state,’ Chaubey stated that “sports unites one.” While he represents football, he maintained that every sport unites people, recounting the number of medals that India won during the recently concluded Asian games in China.
He said India is at a threshold where the entire country, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focusing on the development of sports and sportspersons. “Sports is such a medium where if you win a medal for your country or your nation, that no one will ask whether you’re rich or poor, black or white, live in urban or rural areas,” he pointed out.
Lauding the recent winning team from Nagaland in Sepaktakraw at South Asian Championships, he encouraged the participants gathered here, to grab the‘golden opportunity,’ and try to dream big and prepare for ‘bigger competition.’
“Tomorrow, some of you may be representing Nagaland in all India level… And someday you will be representing India in the global arena and that you win a medal for India,” he added.
He urged the Naga sportspersons to work hard and be disciplined and to make the most of being a youth.
While welcoming all the participants, Rio, who is also the President of Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) said this evening was perhaps the biggest gathering of the youths of Nagaland under one single platform. With participants from all the 16 districts and from every corner of Nagaland, the Chief Minister acknowledged every athlete who qualified to participate in the highest level of sporting competition in Nagaland.
He said that competitions will be held in 16 sports disciplines across 15 venues and arenas in the two districts of Dimapur and Chümoukedima, with most of the sports events taking place at the Regional Centre for Sporting Excellence.
Despite challenges of ‘decades of insurgency,’ limited funds and resources and the fact that the Nagaland Olympic Association was affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association only in 2004, Rio expressed happiness to witness the progress of sports and games in Nagaland was beginning to take a positive turn. “We have been giving emphasis on infrastructure, game development and building up of a scientific sports eco-system that is being targeted for medals at the highest levels. The results are beginning to show,” he added.
He expressed joy that the Naga athletes are starting to win national and international medals and are making the country proud.He affirmed that the government will continue to make best efforts to promote sports at all levels with the clear intention to ensure that the sportspersons do not miss the opportunities of the ‘multi-billion-dollar sports industry.’
Rio alsoreminded the gathering thatwithin one month of these games concluding, Nagaland will play host to the next edition of the northeast Olympic Games here in the same venues, where all the 8 states of the north east are expected to participate.
He encouraged the athletes to take their respective responsibilities with all seriousness as Nagaland teams will undergo coaching camps and high-performance exercises ahead of the North East Olympics.
As the theme of the games and the aspirations of the NOA suggest‘Stronger Together,’he echoed the sentiment that ‘sport has the power to unify.’
He said that each athlete present is an“ambassador of your people” and an ambassador of peace and unity.
“Today as Nagas seeks unity and oneness, the youth and the sportspersons are unifying the Naga people. Sports know no language and has no tribe. Sport knows only excellence and success,” Rio added.
Several performances under TaFMA including folkloric, flag dance, theme song from Nagaland Collective etc, highlighted the inaugural event.
