The 26th Nagaland Inter-District & State Table Tennis Championship 2023 commenced today at the Multi-purpose Sports Complex in Mokokchung, the inaugural of which was graced by Nagaland’s Advisor for Information & Public Relations, Soil & Water Conservation, Imkong L Imchen as Chief Patron.
A total of 118 players have gathered to participate in this championship, representing 14 districts in both the team event and the open category.
Addressing the players and attendees, Imchen highlighted the immense untapped potential among the Nagas. Focusing on the sport of Table Tennis, he emphasized that physical stature is not a barrier, stating that skills require no specific physical attributes. Imchen expressed his confidence that Nagas possess the skill, talent, and potential, but he stressed the need for societal peace to harness these attributes fully. He also conveyed his optimism for the success of the 26th Nagaland Inter-District & State Table Tennis Championship 2023.
The opening ceremony witnessed Vitho Neikha, the President of the Nagaland Table Tennis Association, unveiling the NTTA coffee table book titled “Moving On.” Neikha explained that the coffee table book serves as a vital record for NTTA, which was founded in 1972. He detailed the challenges in maintaining historical records and noted the book’s significance in preserving the association’s history for future reference.
This four-day table tennis championships is hosted by the Mokokchung District Table Tennis Association (MDTTA) under the aegis of the Nagaland Table Tennis Association (NTTA) and is scheduled to run until the 26th of October.
In addition to the host district, Mokokchung, thirteen districts are participating in this championship, including Longleng, Mon, Kiphire, Phek, Tuensang, Shamator, Zunheboto, Wokha, Kohima, Dimapur, Niuland, Tseminyu, and Chümoukedima.
The opening act featured students from Fazl Ali College, Jubilee Memorial College, and Eden Academy. The gathering was serenaded by Tiasola Ozükum with a song. The welcome address was delivered by Ali Walling, the President of Mokokchung District Table Tennis Association, who expressed gratitude to NTTA for entrusting MDTTA with the opportunity to host the tournament. He encouraged participants to exhibit true sportsmanship and extended his best wishes for their success.