GUWAHATI: The North East Zone Inter-State Badminton Championship 2026 began in Shillong on Wednesday, September 16, with more than 250 badminton players from the eight northeastern states taking part in the tournament.
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The four-day championship, being held from September 16 to 19, has brought together players from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
Organised by the Meghalaya State Badminton Association under the aegis of the Badminton Association of India, the championship is being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Sports Complex.
The tournament is also linked to preparations for the National Games 2027, with the championship serving as the qualifying event for the team competitions.
Assam shuttler Ashmita Chaliha, who is competing in the championship, also spoke about the importance of training and match exposure for emerging players from the Northeast.
Chaliha, who became the first Indian to win the Korea Masters title, encouraged young players to focus on their performance without putting excessive pressure on themselves over results.
Mizoram’s H. Lalthazuala, who recently won the Men’s Singles title at the Cameroon International 2026, is also part of the competition.
The championship will continue in Shillong till September 19.