Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jul 16: Arunachal Pradesh is likely to get the chance to host the National Games in 2026 as the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has responded positively to the interest shown by the Arunachal Olympic Association (AOA) to host the country’s highest sports event.
A team of the AOA on Monday met IOA secretary-general Rajiv Mehta in New Delhi and discussed various matters relating to development of games and sports in Arunachal, AOA secretary-general Abraham K Techi told this reporter over telephone from Delhi on Tuesday evening.
“Mehta has advised us to formally make a proposal to host the National Games in 2026
in Arunachal,” he said, adding that a team of the IOA will visit the state to inspect the sites and sports infrastructure to host the Games.
The IOA secretary-general has also assured the AOA to provide fund for hosting the second edition of the North East Olympic Games in Arunachal in 2020, Abraham said.
The first NE Games had been held in Manipur in 2018.
The AOA team also met Union Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Rijiju assured to support the construction of an ‘Olympic Bhavan’, a longstanding demand of the AOA, apart from establishment of several state-of-the-art sports institutions in Arunachal, Abraham said.
The AOA team included the Boxing Federation of India’s women’s commission chairperson Tadang Minu, AOA vice president Geshi Doke, and treasurer Likha Tara.
