Mokokchung, 6 February (MTNews): In a significant development aimed at bolstering the grassroots sports ecosystem in Nagaland, the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) have joined forces with Sports For All (SFA), India’s largest tech-enabled multi-sports school competition platform. The announcement of this strategic partnership was made in the presence of dignitaries including Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Nagaland; Y Patton, Deputy CM, Nagaland; Abu Metha, Advisor to CM and Chairman IDAN; and Neivikuolie Khatsu, Assistant Secretary General, NOA.
The collaboration signifies a major step forward in realizing the collective vision of encouraging sports participation, empowering talent, and providing a platform for athletes to showcase their skills on a larger stage, a press communiqué received here said.
“Nagaland, known for its rich cultural heritage, has been making commendable strides in sports. The recently announced Nagaland Olympic & Paralympic Games 2024 across 16 sporting disciplines underscore the state’s dedication to creating opportunities for athletes,” it said.
“Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Football, among others, stand as key sports in the state. Nagaland has also produced notable sports personalities like Dr. T Ao, the first captain of the Indian Olympic football team, and Chekrovolu Swuro, an Olympian archer and Arjuna Awardee,” it added.
Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Nagaland, said, “Nagaland Olympic Association and Sports For All (SFA), together aim to create an environment that encourages sports at the grassroots level and ignites a passion for excellence. Our aim is to bring about sustainable change for our state, through sports. Introducing a sporting culture in school, strengthening the same in college, creating a strong ecosystem for women athletes and coaches, are key initiatives that make Nagaland a great contender to host the National Games.”
Echoing this sentiment, Abu Metha, Advisor to CM and Chairman IDAN, stated, “This partnership is aligned with our vision to broaden the sporting ecosystem in Nagaland and offer an opportunity for our athletes to test their capabilities and gain exposure. We are looking forward to the journey of triumph and personal growth that lies ahead for our athletes, our future Champions.”
SFA has been dedicated to developing the grassroots sports ecosystem since its inception in 2015. Through this collaboration, the company will facilitate its flagship IP – SFA Championships – a pivotal platform for nurturing grassroots sports in the state and the nation. “The commitment of NOA and the Government of Nagaland will serve as a catalyst in identifying sporting talent at the SFA Championships,” the communiqué read.
Speaking on the partnership, Rishikesh Joshi, Founder of Sports For All (SFA), elaborated, “The partnership with Nagaland Olympic Association strengthens our mission to enable a platform for the country’s youth to compete and play sports. Nagaland has seen significant growth in terms of sporting infrastructure and budding athletes, and this association will assist to further the sporting ecosystem of the state and our country. After having created a valuable impact across 9 cities within a span of 3months, SFA Championships will now make a debut in the North-East, the grounds of emerging sporting potential.”
With plans to host 150 Championships across 50 cities of India in the next five years, this partnership signifies a leap forward in making sports accessible for school athletes across the country, empowering today’s talent to become the Champions of tomorrow. “The journey to represent the country at the Olympics, is what SFA Championships is enabling for emerging athletes,” it added.
About Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA):
The Nagaland Olympic Association is responsible for implementing state sports policies and raising awareness about sports in Nagaland under the aegis of the Government of Nagaland and the Indian Olympic Association. NOA aims to broaden the sports base in Nagaland, promote excellence in sports through infrastructure development, training support, and sports education.
About Sports For All (SFA):
Sports For All (SFA) is India’s largest tech-enabled multi-sport grassroots competition platform. Since its inception in 2015, SFA has focused on transforming school sporting championships in the country, providing an inclusive, diverse, and safe platform for youth to realize their sporting potential. SFA Championships, SFA’s flagship IP, promotes large-scale multi-sport competitions powered by technology and data analytics, identifying grassroots sporting talent. Through SFAPLAY.COM, a technology-driven platform, SFA empowers and connects all stakeholders in the grassroots sports ecosystem.