Shillong, Oct 19: Cabinet minister Sanbor Shullai today felicitated two female football players from the state who have represented India at the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers.
Bonifilia Shullai, a resident of Shillong, and Alisha Lyngdoh from Khliehriat each received Rs 50,000 along with other gifts during the function.
The two were part of the squad that secured qualification for India to the 2026 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup in China. They were also part of the India team that lifted the U-17 SAFF Women’s Championship held in Bhutan.
Bonifilia said, “We were called to attend the trials in Bangalore a month ago for the U-17 SAFF Championship and we emerged as winners after competing against Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. After that, we couldn’t return home as we continued training with the Indian team to prepare for the AFC Qualifiers, which we have just returned from in Uzbekistan. We played against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and won both matches. Our team emerged as the group winner and has qualified for the AFC U-17 Championship, which will be held in China in May 2026.”
She said that they will be able to return home only for one or two weeks, after which they will have to go back for training in preparation for the Indian Women’s League (IWL), where they will play for Indian Arrows, as well as for the Asian Cup.
“We are filled with joy to have the opportunity to represent the country and bring pride to our state. I also hope that many more youngsters will reach this level and work even harder. We are very happy to be part of the team that has qualified for the U-17 Championship for the first time,” said Bonifilia.
The minister said that his decision to felicitate the two players was not only in his capacity as an MLA but also as a minister in the state government.
Meanwhile, it was announced today that the Meghalaya Football Association will use the occasion of the India-Iran match of the Women’s Tri-Nations Tournament on Tuesday at the JN Stadium, Polo, to felicitate the two teenage footballers. The felicitation will take place during the half time break.
