Shillong, Aug 11: The thrum of bowstrings echoed across the Sports Authority of India Centre at NEHU on Tuesday as the Meghalaya State Archery Championship 2026 commenced, drawing more than 200 archers and officials in what the Archery Association of Meghalaya described as its most inclusive edition yet.
For three days, marksmen and markswomen from every corner of the state will contest honours in the Indian Round, recurve and compound disciplines, in both individual and team categories. In a first, all 12 districts have fielded contingents. The opening day was devoted to the Indian Round, with medal presentations.
Inaugurating the meet, Smti Isawanda Laloo, IAS, Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, was joined by Meghalaya State Olympic Association General Secretary Finely L Pariat and Assistant Director of Sports and Youth Affairs Khroobok Passah. Both Laloo and Pariat essayed a few shots with the recurve and spoke of the formidable strength the sport demands.
In her address, Laloo observed that preparations for the 39th National Games, which Meghalaya is to host next year, are well underway. She recalled the state’s showing at the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games earlier this year, where Meghalaya secured both its gold medals and a bronze in archery. “That shows that all the efforts of the association are paying off,” she said. Turning to the young competitors, she added, “On your slender shoulders lies the hope that this legacy will be carried forward and translated into many more medals in future.”
Laloo also announced the development of two Centres of Excellence in Garo Hills and Khasi-Jaintia Hills, an initiative envisaged by the Chief Minister to nurture talent from the grassroots upward.
Delivering the keynote, Smti Matsiewdor War Nongbri, IAS, Chief Advisor of AAM and an eminent archer and international judge, disclosed that Meghalaya will host the Senior National Archery Championship later this year, an event that will serve as a test run for the National Games.
Reflecting on the sport’s antiquity, War Nongbri noted that archery has been integral to human life for 50,000 years and remains a vital part of Meghalaya’s heritage. She paid tribute to the late Woodward Sohliya, whose pioneering work gave shape to the Indian Round and helped lay the foundations of modern archery in India.
“We stand at a far more comfortable place today,” War Nongbri said, crediting the vision of the Chief Minister, the Sports Minister and the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs for equipping AAM with elite coaches, performance directors and equipment. “We promise not to leave any stone unturned in our pursuit of glory,” she concluded.
