Tura, Aug 31: The second edition of the District Level Inter School Games 2026 got underway at the Hawakhana Indoor Hall here on Monday, bringing together more than 1,000 young athletes from across West Garo Hills.
Organised by the Office of the District Sports Officer, West Garo Hills, under the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, the four-day event was inaugurated by West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Vibhor Aggarwal, IAS.
Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA) working president John F. Kharshiing attended the inaugural ceremony as the special guest, along with Saljagring M. Marak, Assistant Director and in-charge District Sports Officer; former Deputy Director of Sports and Youth Affairs Jasper P. Marak; and representatives of various sports associations.
The 2026 edition has expanded considerably from its inaugural edition last year, with more than 1,000 student-athletes from 42 schools taking part. The 2025 edition had 500 participants representing 17 schools.
The increased participation has also extended to rural areas, with schools from Selsella and Gambegre blocks joining the competition, reflecting the organisers’ emphasis on grassroots participation and inclusion.
Addressing the young athletes, Kharshiing highlighted the progress made in Meghalaya’s sports ecosystem since 2019, including scholarships and cash awards for athletes who win medals at state and regional competitions.
He also pointed to the revival of the Meghalaya Games as an important platform for developing competitiveness among athletes from different districts.
“Hundred percent is not enough, everybody is doing hundred percent, so you have to do more than that to reach the top,” Kharshiing told the participants, urging them to give their maximum effort if they aspire to reach major international competitions such as the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.
Aggarwal, meanwhile, described the district-level games as an important platform for students to assess their potential while gaining valuable competitive exposure.
He said such competitions would help prepare young athletes for state and national-level events, particularly with Meghalaya set to host major competitions in the future, including the National Games.
The competition has also grown in terms of sporting disciplines. From five sports in its inaugural edition, the games now feature eight disciplines — table tennis, badminton, volleyball, basketball, kabaddi, swimming, athletics and taekwondo.
Over the next four days, students from participating schools will compete across the disciplines while gaining experience in competitive sport and developing their skills.
Beyond determining winners, the organisers aim to use the event as a platform to promote sportsmanship, discipline and professionalism among young athletes, while encouraging greater participation in sports and healthier lifestyles.
The expanded participation this year underlines the growing interest in school-level sport across West Garo Hills and provides a wider grassroots pool from which future district and state-level athletes can emerge.
