Mizoram’s top paddler Jeho Himnakulhpuingheta reinforced his dominance in Northeast table tennis by winning his fourth men’s singles title at the 5th Toyota NIAPA Northeast Open Table Tennis Tournament held at the NIAPA Mini Stadium, Chümoukedima, on Sunday.
On the final day, Jeho defeated Assam’s Agniv Bhaskar Gohain 4–2 in the men’s singles final. The match was closely contested, but Jeho’s experience and composure in critical moments secured him the victory. Agniv faced his third consecutive final defeat in the tournament. Manipur’s Khelendrajit Yengkhom and Mizoram’s Alberto LR Ruata were the losing semifinalists. The men’s singles winner received Rs. 25,000, while the runner-up earned Rs. 15,000 and semifinalists Rs. 5,000 each.
In the women’s singles, Assam’s Bhavna Kashyap impressed on her NIAPA debut by defeating defending champion Trisha Gogoi 4–3 to claim her first title in Nagaland. Mizoram’s Moumita Saha and Assam’s Anushna Das reached the semifinals. Prize money for the women’s singles was Rs. 20,000 for the winner, Rs. 12,000 for the runner-up, and Rs. 4,000 for the semifinalists.
Jeho and Alberto retained the men’s doubles title, overcoming Assam’s Agniv and Shankab Gautam Baruah. Assam’s Shankab and Trisha won the mixed doubles, while Agniv and Bhavna finished second. In the Best Duo of Nagaland category, Kanishk Jain and Hekito Sema secured first place.
In under-21 events, Bhavna won the girls’ singles, and Khelendrajit claimed the boys’ title.
The closing ceremony was attended by Polan John, Deputy Commissioner and District Sports Council, Chümoukedima, who distributed awards. Organised by NIAPA, the tournament continues to provide a major platform for table tennis talent from across the Northeast.