Nagaland Masters Badminton Championship 2026 concludes

Dimapur, October 24 (MExN): The Nagaland Masters Badminton Championship 2026, organised by the Nagaland Badminton Association, concluded on Saturday after two days of competition at the Dimapur Badminton Club Stadium in United Colony.The championship featured seven categories — 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+ and Mixed Doubles — with 104 players registering across 72 entries and 65 matches played over October 23 and 24.Kethosituo Sekhose, NCS, Director, Youth Resources & Sports, Government of Nagaland, graced the closing ceremony as the special guest, a press release said. Sekhose noted that neighbouring Manipur has produced 19 Olympians, compared with Nagaland's two Olympians and one Paralympian, and urged stakeholders to invest in young sporting talent to improve the State's international performance.He highlighted the Chief Minister’s Sports Advancement Initiative, announced by CM Dr Neiphiu Rio in March 2026, which includes badminton among five priority disciplines. The initiative focuses on athlete development, coaching competency, training support and incentives for excellence, and he encouraged the badminton fraternity to use it fully to develop the sport and support promising players.He called for sustained commitment to sports development and urged associations, coaches, parents and other stakeholders to work together to identify, groom and nurture athletes capable of competing internationally.The closing ceremony was chaired by Dr Janbemo Humtsoe, Joint Secretary, NBA. Rev Dr P Tali Jamir pronounced the invocation, while Dr George Thira, Vice President, NBA, addressed the gathering on behalf of the association.