SHILLONG, Oct 18: Meghalaya will host the 5th KIO North East Zone Karate Championship 2026 from October 22 to 24, with over 900 participants expected to compete at the NEHU Convocation Hall here.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association (AMKA) secretary and Karate India Organisation (KIO) North East Zone director Ksankupar Warjri said the championship would be a major event for the state, which is hosting a karate competition of this scale after nearly 30 years.
Warjri said he had approached KIO to allow Meghalaya to host the championship following his appointment as North East Zone director. The proposal was accepted after discussions with representatives of the North Eastern states, with Meghalaya’s preparations for the 39th National Games also taken into consideration.
The championship, organised by KIO and hosted by AMKA with support from the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, will feature athletes from seven North Eastern states. Around 20 international karatekas are also expected to participate, while Mizoram will not be represented.
Meghalaya will field 296 karatekas, comprising 152 male and 144 female athletes.
Assam is expected to send the largest contingent, with around 330 participants. Competitions will be held in the sub-junior, cadet, junior, under-21 and senior categories in both Kata and Kumite.
The winners will qualify for the KIO Inter-Zonal Karate Championship, scheduled to be held in New Delhi on December 16 and 17.
Warjri said the event would also include a referee and coaches’ seminar and examination on October 22, with 21 karatekas and officials from Meghalaya participating. The programme will be conducted by Premjit Sen, chairman of the KIO Referee Commission.
KIO president Bharat Sharma, who also heads the South Asia Karate Federation and is an executive committee member of the Asian Karate Federation, is expected to attend the championship.
The opening ceremony will be held on October 23 at 3 pm, with Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla as chief guest and department director Alertson Nongbri along with the KIO president as guest of honour.
Warjri thanked the state government for its support and said the association was making arrangements for accommodation, transport, food and other logistical requirements to ensure the smooth conduct of the three-day event.
He said the championship would provide local karatekas with an opportunity to compete against athletes from across the region, while promoting the sport and strengthening Meghalaya’s position as a host for major sporting events.