Women’s football tournament underway

NAMSAI, 10 Oct: The Namsai Satsang Women football team on Sunday defeated GHSS Lathao by 2-1 goals in the inaugural match of a women’s football tournament being organized by the Aishu Development Society (ADS) at Adi Ningroo village here in Namsai district.

The tournament is aimed at encouraging women in sports and creating awareness on the menace of drugs.

Addressing the inaugural function, Circle Officer Indira Thomong Riba commended the ADS for organizing the event to encourage women.

“I am very pleased to know that an only women’s football tournament has been organized by ADS to encourage women in the field of sports. It is also very surprising that more than 17 teams of women, including students and married women, are participating in the tournament,” the CO said, adding that such events would help in keeping the youths away from drugs.

Riba assured to extend all possible support to the organizing committee in organizing such events “on a larger platform.”

ADS president Yachip Paron informed that the society has been organizing women’s football tournaments since 2009 to offer a platform to budding and enthusiastic women players.

“We had to take a break from the tournaments due to the pandemic, but now that the situation is getting better, we decided to start the tournament after getting requests from several women football clubs,” she added.

She urged the sports minister to support the ADS in making the tournament a state level tournament for women.

Paron expressed gratitude to former MLA Nang Sati Mein, DCM Chowna Mein, Namsai MLA Chow Zingnu Namchoom, PRI leaders and others for supporting the event.

Extending support to the tournament, Adi Ningroo GB Boloram Paron said, “Women are not limited to the kitchen. They should get equal opportunity in every field.”

The tournament’s organizing secretary, Ying Longkhan informed that more than 17 women teams from different districts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam are participating in the tournament.

“The ADS will select the best players from the tournament to form a team that will play in state level tournaments,” she said.