President of the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) and Chief Minister of Nagaland, Dr Neiphiu Rio, chaired a review meeting at the NOA Office in Kohima on August 4 to assess the state’s ongoing sports initiatives and discuss key upcoming events that aim to shape the future of sports in the region.
One of the highlights of the meeting was Nagaland’s formal proposal to co-host the Wrestling discipline in the upcoming 39th National Games, which will be hosted by Meghalaya in February 2027. The move reflects the state’s growing expertise and infrastructure in combat sports.
The meeting also reviewed the North East Games, which was originally scheduled for October 2025 but has now been postponed to early 2026. Tripura has been selected as the host for the upcoming edition.
Preparations for two major events to be held in Nagaland this year were also discussed in detail — the UWW Alysh Belt Wrestling & Naga Wrestling World Championship, scheduled from November 15 to 23, and the first-ever Dr. T. Ao Junior (Girls) National Football Championship.
Dr. Rio also inspected the nearly completed NOA gym facility in Kohima. Recruitment advertisements for positions including Gym Instructor, Multi-Task Assistant, and Cleaner have already been issued, and the facility is expected to be operational soon.
Reiterating his commitment to developing sports in the state, Dr. Rio said Nagaland will continue to strengthen its sports ecosystem and position itself as a key contributor to both national and international sporting events.
(The report was issued by NOA Media Cell)
