Team Assam retained the team event title for the second consecutive time at the 5th NIAPA Northeast Open Table Tennis Tournament 2025, held at the NIAPA Mini Stadium, Chümoukedima, on Friday evening.
The tournament is being organised by the Northeast India Academy of Performing Arts.
In the final, Jeho Himnakulpuingheta gave Mizoram a strong start in the men’s singles, but it was not enough as Trisha Gogoi, the defending champion from Assam, seized the initiative in the women’s singles to put her team ahead. Led by National Games bronze medallist Shankab Gautam Baruah and Agniv Bhaskar Gohain, Assam went on to dominate the doubles segment, confirming their status as defending champions in the fifth edition.
Assam received a cash prize of Rs 90,000, while runners-up Mizoram were awarded Rs 50,000. The team event comprised singles, doubles, and mixed doubles matches, with six teams—Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and the NIAPA team—participating.
On Day 2 of the tournament, Vikheho Swu, Managing Director of Okusa Toyota Nagaland, graced the evening session as the special guest. In his address, he said the NIAPA Northeast Open Table Tennis Tournament has emerged as an important platform for showcasing sporting talent from across the Northeast, adding that Nagaland is steadily emerging as a sports hub alongside its cultural prominence.
Recalling his college days, Swu highlighted the role of sports, including table tennis, in building discipline, character, leadership, speed, and agility. He said that with proper guidance and exposure, players from the region can excel at national and international levels. He also urged players to uphold sportsmanship, remain grounded, and manage success responsibly.
The tournament will continue on Day 3, December 20, with individual events including men’s singles, women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.