NE Inter State Badminton C’ship kicks off in Shillong after a decade as stars shine on opening day

KOLKATA: The two top-ranked players at the North East Inter State Badminton Championships – Assam’s Ashmita Chaliha and H. Lalthazuala of Mizoram – shone on the opening day with identical one-sided wins for their teams in respective matches at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Sports Complex in Shillong.While Chaliha, the world No. 41 and only Indian to win the Korea Masters, led Assam to a 3-0 win in a women’s team match against Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram’s former U17 national champion, Lalthazuala, was flawless in his team’s 3-0 victory over Tripura in their men’s team clash on Wednesday.It was, however, a disappointing start to the hosts’ campaign as Meghalaya lost their first matches in each of the four age categories in the team competition.But hosting the tournament after a decade and having more than 250 badminton players from across the northeast gathered in the Meghalaya capital for the four-day competition, the state has aims to use the match exposure to select the contingent for the team competition at National Games 2027, also to be hosted in Shillong at the same venue.“We do understand that champion is created from this kind of platform,” Wailadmiki Shylla, the minister of sports and youth affairs in the Meghalaya govt, said at the inauguration of the tournament that saw participation from all eight states of the northeast.Meanwhile, Chaliha was satisfied with the infrastructure and facilities available to the players at the tournament ahead of next year’s National Games, she highlighted the rise of grassroots talent across the region.In her message to the hosts’ shuttlers, who have not been able to gain the success of powerhouses like Assam and Mizoram, she said: “Enjoy what you play, give your absolute best on the court without taking the pressure of winning or losing, and the results will naturally follow.”In a reflection of the state’s desire to reach top level in Indian badminton, Shylla also announced a dedicated training stipend for Meghalaya’s final National Games team and said special provisions would be made under the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme to support treatment for sports-related injuries.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.