Shillong, Sep 26: The Asian Games are taking place in Japan this year and, though there is not a single athlete from Meghalaya at the event, a delegation of eight officials from the state has made its way there.
Chief among them is Wailadmiki Shylla, the Sports & Youth Affairs Minister and ex-officio President of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association. The Games began on 19th September and will conclude on 4th October, though the Meghalayans will only be there until 28th September.
Also on the trip are the recently-appointed Director of Sports & Youth Affairs, Alertson Nongbri, and MSOA Working President John F Kharshiing and General Secretary Finely L Pariat. (The latter two are 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 & Youth Affairs Department.
Who else is part of this delegation and what the bill is for this tour isn’t known to TSR.
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 & Youth Affairs, “which will enrich the team in their preparations for the upcoming 39th National Games”, which Meghalaya is expected to host next year, Kharshiing said.
(Photos contributed)