North East Zone Inter-State Badminton Championship Returns to Shillong After Decade

Championship returns to Shillong after 10-year gap

The North East Zone Inter-State Badminton Championship 2026 began at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Sports Complex in Shillong on September 16, with more than 250 shuttlers from all eight northeastern states taking part over a four-day run scheduled to conclude on September 19. The event marks the tournament's return to Meghalaya after a decade, and is being staged by the Meghalaya State Badminton Association under the aegis of the Badminton Association of India. Players from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim are competing in the championship.

Qualifying role for the 39th National Games

Organizers have framed the championship as a qualifying event for the team competitions at the 39th National Games, which Meghalaya is scheduled to host in 2027. The Shillong event is being treated by state officials as a practical test of Meghalaya's readiness to stage the larger multi-sport Games, with venues, logistics and athlete services under review during the four days of competition.

Meghalaya's sports budget and athlete support measures

Speaking at the inauguration, Meghalaya Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said the state's sports budget had risen from around ₹40 crore eight to nine years ago to ₹844 crore, with outlays directed at infrastructure, competition opportunities and incentives for athletes. He said National Games gold medallists from the state now receive prize money of ₹2 lakh and announced a dedicated training stipend for Meghalaya's final National Games team. Shylla also said special provisions would be made under the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme to cover treatment for sports-related injuries.

Athletes and officials on competitive exposure

Shylla, who inaugurated the championship, said regional competitions of this kind were essential for giving young athletes a platform to test themselves against opponents from other states, adding: "We do understand that champion is created from this kind of platform." Indian international shuttler Ashmita Chaliha, representing Assam, welcomed the championship's return to Shillong and stressed the importance of regular high-level match exposure for emerging players from the region.

Looking ahead

The four-day championship is scheduled to run through September 19 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Sports Complex, with results expected to shape team qualification for the 2027 National Games hosted by Meghalaya.