Shillong, Sept 16: The North East Zone Inter-State Badminton Championship 2026 began at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Shillong on Wednesday, marking the return of the regional championship to Meghalaya after 10 years.
Organised by the Meghalaya State Badminton Association (MSBA) under the aegis of the Badminton Association of India (BAI), the four-day tournament, being held from September 16 to 19, is also the official qualifying event for the team competitions of the 39th National Games 2027, which Meghalaya will host.
More than 250 shuttlers from all eight Northeastern states – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim – are taking part in the championship. The opening day witnessed competitive action across the different events as teams began their campaign for qualification and regional honours.
Inaugurating the championship, Meghalaya Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said the tournament had returned to the state at an important time, with Meghalaya preparing to host the National Games next year.
Shylla highlighted the importance of providing athletes with opportunities to compete at a high level and gain exposure against players from other states. He said the state’s sports budget had increased substantially from around Rs 40 crore eight to nine years ago to Rs 844 crore at present, with greater spending directed towards infrastructure, competition opportunities and prize money.
He added that Meghalaya now provides Rs 2 lakh to athletes from the state who win gold medals at the National Games.
The minister also highlighted the Meghalaya Outstanding Direct Appointment Policy, under which state athletes winning medals at major sporting events are eligible for direct government appointments. According to Shylla, athletes can also avail themselves of a grace period of up to 10 years to pursue higher education or continue their sporting careers before taking up government service.
Shylla further announced that a dedicated stipend would be provided to the final selected Meghalaya contingent for the National Games to support their training. Special provisions under the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) would also be made to provide medical assistance for sports-related injuries, he said.
The championship also saw the return of Assam’s international shuttler Ashmita Chaliha to Shillong after nearly a decade. Chaliha, the first Indian to win the Korea Masters title, spoke about the growing sporting culture in the Northeast and the importance of providing young players with structured training and exposure to high-level competition.
She encouraged Meghalaya’s young shuttlers to focus on enjoying the sport and giving their best rather than being overly concerned about results.
Mizoram’s H. Lalthazuala, who recently won the men’s singles title at the Cameroon International 2026 and is a former national U-17 champion, also expressed confidence in his team’s chances in the championship. He praised the support being provided to athletes in Mizoram and the wider Northeast.
With the tournament serving as a qualifying event for the National Games team competitions, its organisation in Shillong also provides an opportunity to assess the city’s preparedness to host major multi-state sporting events ahead of the 2027 National Games.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by BAI Tournament Committee Convener Omar Rashid, Director of Sports and Youth Affairs Alertson Nongbri, Deputy Director P. B. War Nongbri, Assistant Director K. Passah, MSBA Senior Vice President C. O. Rangad, MSBA General Secretary Rajesh Kamal, Assam Badminton Association Treasurer Gautam Mahanta and other officials.
