Kohima, November 19 (MExN): The Northeast India Academy of Performing Arts (NIAPA) announced the 5th NIAPA Northeast Open Table Tennis Tournament to be held from December 18 to 21 at the NIAPA Mini Stadium, Chümoukedima.
According to a press release from NIAPA, the tournament aims to promote table tennis in the state while giving exposure to state players by allowing them to compete with top paddlers from across the Northeast. The event will feature Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Under-21, Veteran Doubles, Best Duo, and Team Events.
Top paddlers from the region are expected to participate with a total cash prize of Rs. 6,00,000 set for the championship. This is one of the biggest cash money in the country for paddlers to compete in the highest level.
NIAPA managing director A K Yhome stated that the academy remains committed to building a strong foundation for table tennis in Nagaland by offering opportunities for competition, growth, and exposure of the game. She added that the tournament reflects NIAPA’s long-term vision of uplifting sports while continuing its broader mission of nurturing talent across multiple disciplines.
The four-day tournament in Chümoukedima will begin with veteran event, the team event, U-21,individual event, while the finals will be played on December 21.
This edition, NIAPA team also announced the introduction of a new category that will give special focus to Nagaland players. The “Best Duo” event will determine the top pair from the state, offering a prize of Rs 15,000 for first place, Rs 12,000 for second, and Rs. 4,000 each for the semifinalists.
Cash prizes have been declared for all categories where the Team Event offers Rs. 1,00,000 for first place and Rs. 50,000 for second.
In Men’s Singles, the prizes are Rs. 25,000 for first, Rs. 15,000 for second, and Rs. 5,000 each for semifinalists. Women’s Singles winners will receive Rs. 20,000, Rs. 12,000, and Rs. 4,000 each respectively. Women’s Doubles carry prizes of Rs. 25,000, Rs. 15,000, and Rs. 5,000 each, while Men’s Doubles offer Rs. 30,000, Rs. 20,000, and Rs. 5,000 each. Mixed Doubles champions will receive Rs. 30,000, with Rs. 20,000 for second place and Rs. 5,000 for semifinalists.
The prizes for the U-21 category are Rs. 15,000, Rs. 10,000, and Rs. 4,000 for semifinalists. For the women’s U-21 category, the prizes will be Rs. 10,000, Rs. 7,000, and Rs. 3,000 each for semifinalists. For Veteran Doubles, the prizes are Rs. 15,000 for the winners, Rs. 12,000 for second place, and Rs. 4,000 each for semifinalists. Other individual awards such as Best Naga Player of the Day will also be presented.
While the organising committee have informed that for all the categories, there must be more than eight participants for the event to be confirmed. For further queries, one may contact +91 98564 46674 or 99165 80774.
