Nagaland’s Baby League wins SKOCH Silver Award

Dimapur, October 14 (MExN): The Youth Resources and Sports Department of the Nagaland government has received the SKOCH Silver Award for its Grassroots Football Festival (Baby League), in recognition of its efforts to promote grassroots sports development and encourage sporting participation among children in the state.The SKOCH Award is a nationally recognised honour that acknowledges excellence in governance, innovation and public service delivery. It recognises institutions and organisations for implementing initiatives that contribute to socio-economic development.The award marks a significant achievement for the department, bringing national recognition to its efforts to strengthen grassroots sports development in Nagaland, according to a statement issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).Launched in June 2024, the Grassroots Football Festival (Baby League) is an annual initiative aimed at introducing children to football at an early age and fostering a sporting culture at the grassroots level.The programme provides a platform for children aged five to 12 years to participate in organised football activities in a fun, engaging and inclusive environment.Unlike conventional competitive tournaments, the Baby League emphasises participation, enjoyment, learning and the overall development of children.The festival features age-appropriate, small-sided football matches across four age categories — five to six years, seven to eight years, nine to 10 years, and 11 to 12 years.The initiative also provides opportunities for coaches to observe young players, identify emerging talent and encourage their continued involvement in sports.Since its inception, the programme has witnessed encouraging growth in participation and public response. From approximately 142 children in an earlier edition, participation increased to around 420 children in the third edition held in 2026.The growing involvement of children, parents and the sporting community reflects increasing interest in grassroots football and the positive response to the initiative, the department said.The initiative also received national recognition when Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Nagaland’s grassroots football efforts during his Mann Ki Baat address in June 2026, acknowledging the importance of encouraging sports participation among young children.The SKOCH Silver Award marks an important milestone for the department and is expected to encourage further efforts to make sports accessible to children across the state.The department said it remained committed to building on the success of the Baby League and expanding opportunities for children to participate in organised sporting activities, with the broader objective of promoting a strong and inclusive sporting culture in Nagaland.