Shillong, Sep 26: No Meghalayan has been included in India’s squad for the ongoing Asian Games but a delegation of eight state officials has managed to make its way to Japan for a study of the event.
Chief among them is Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla, who is ex-officio president of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA). The Games began on September 19 and will conclude on October 4, though the Meghalayans will only be there until Monday.
Also on the trip are the recently-appointed Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, Alertson Nongbri, and MSOA working president John F Kharshiing and general secretary Finely L Pariat. The latter two also hold posts as officials of various state and national sports associations.
Along for the journey are the Senior Project Engineer of the State Sports Council of Meghalaya and a consultant working for the Sports and Youth Affairs Department.
Who else is part of this delegation and who exactly is footing the bill for the Meghalaya delegation is not known at present.
In a note shared with the media yesterday, Kharshiing said that the visit has proven informative, with the Meghalaya team visiting venues such as boxing, basketball, table tennis, shooting, archery, athletics and swimming and interacting with the technical officials and administrators.
The Meghalaya officials will be preparing their observations, learnings and suggestions to the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, “which will enrich the team in their preparations for the upcoming 39th National Games”, Kharshiing added. Meghalaya is expected to host the national event next year.
