NEW DELHI, 20 Mar: North East Sports Association secretary-general John F Kharshiing on Thursday met DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and proposed to conduct the 4th North East Games 2026 in Arunachal Pradesh.
He stated that the Games are envisaged as a major platform to promote regional integration, nurture young talent, and build competitive sporting standards aligned with national and international benchmarks.
During the meeting, Kharshiing, who is also the working president of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, highlighted the importance of sustained institutional and financial support for regional sporting initiatives, and proposed developing PEB indoor sports infrastructure in all eight NE states, and creating CSR/seed fund for athletes and state sports associations.
He emphasised the urgent need for creation of all-weather, multipurpose PEB indoor multi-sports halls in a phased manner across community and rural development blocks in Arunachal (129), Assam (239), Manipur (70), Meghalaya (55), Mizoram (28), Nagaland (74), Sikkim (33), and Tripura (58) “to address the gap in access to basic sports facilities, particularly in rural and remote areas, and to create year-round training and community engagement spaces for the youths.”
The discussion also focused on the need to establish a dedicated CSR/seed fund to support athletes and state sports associations in the region. “The proposed fund would help bridge critical gaps in training, exposure, and participation, especially in meeting travel and logistical costs for athletes competing in national, and especially for the upcoming 39th National Games Meghalaya and events across the country,” he said.
“Such targeted interventions are essential to unlock the immense sporting potential of the Northeastern region, and to ensure equitable opportunities for athletes despite geographical and infrastructural challenges, especially with Meghalaya in team preparation mode for the upcoming 39th National Games and beyond,” Kharshiing stated in a release.
The union minister assured that the proposals, to be routed through the respective state governments, would be duly examined in line with the government’s commitment to promoting inclusive development and youth empowerment in the Northeastern region.
