Tura, Sept 3: In a historic first for the region, Kabaddi was officially introduced at the ongoing District Level Inter-School Games 2026, bringing high-energy action to the Mission Compound field in Tura. The tournament, which concluded its final matches on Wednesday, drew enthusiastic participation from young athletes across the district.
The initiative marks a major milestone for local sports development. Speaking on the introduction of the discipline, Saljagring M. Marak, Assistant Director and In-charge District Sports Office, revealed that the move had been in the works for a long time.
“We have been planning to conduct this Kabaddi tournament since long time back, but it didn’t come to reality. But we thought that in a meeting we’ll introduce Kabaddi this year because we need some players to represent Meghalaya in the upcoming National Games, which will be held in Meghalaya in 2027,” Marak explained.
The maiden tournament saw a total of 12 squads competing, comprising seven boys’ teams and five girls’ teams. Expressing satisfaction over the turnout and performance, Marak noted that the response to the event was overwhelmingly positive. He highlighted plans to build on this momentum by bringing in expert evaluations, stating that he has already requested the state association to come over to Tura to conduct player trials.
Addressing the future prospects of local talent in the sport, Marak expressed strong optimism about the natural aptitude of the youth. While acknowledging that the discipline is still new to the region, he emphasized that local players possess the physical baseline required to excel. He noted that although the sport was only recently introduced, there is significant potential to improve, adding that the athletes are physically good enough for Kabaddi and expressed hope that Garo Hills will rise in the sport in the coming days.
For many of the young participants, the event marked their very first experience playing Kabaddi at a competitive district level, while others were step-on-court novices playing the game for the very first time. Despite their novice status, the arena vibrated with excitement throughout the matches. Players expressed immense joy at the new opportunity, with several stating that they would eagerly step up to represent Meghalaya on higher platforms if given the chance.
With the successful conclusion of the finals at Mission Compound field, the sports department aims to make Kabaddi a regular fixture in upcoming school games, paving the way for local talent to feature prominently on the state and national stage.
