Shillong, Sep 15: Shillong has welcomed more than 250 shuttlers from around the region for the start of the Yonex Sunrise North East Interstate Badminton Championship 2026, which will begin here on Wednesday.
Organised by the Meghalaya State Badminton Association with support of Meghalaya’s Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs under the aegis of the Badminton Federation of India, the four-day event will take place at the JN Sports Complex Indoor Stadium.
The championship is organised on a rotational basis across the eight North East states. The last time that Meghalaya held it was in 2016, with two years after that lost to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The return of a top regional event has been keenly welcomed by local shuttlers, who will have the opportunity to test themselves against other talented players from the North East.
Each state, including hosts Meghalaya, can send a maximum of 34 shuttlers and there will be U-17, U-19 and senior individual as well as team championships, MSBA Vice-President Pynbianglang Laloo informed. Matches will start on Wednesday at 8am.
One of those taking part is H Lalthazuala of Mizoram. He was the national U-17 champion and represented India at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Indonesia and World Junior Badminton Championships in Guwahati, both last year.
On his first visit to Shillong, Lalthazuala is hopeful of doing well. “Not to boast, but I think we have quite a strong team,” he said of the Mizoram contingent.
(Meghalaya State Badminton Association photo. Lalthazuala is in pink)