Nagaland’s 1st Deaf Sports meet begins in Chümou

CHÜMOUKEDIMA, SEP 21 (NPN): Nagaland’s first Deaf Sports Meet got underway at the 1st NAP Stadium, Chümoukedima, on Monday, as part of the International Week of Deaf People observed from September 21 to 27.Organised jointly by the Deaf Community of Nagaland (DCN), Nagaland Deaf Sports Association (NDSA) and Deaf Biblical Ministry (DBM), the meet will continue till September 27, with more than 100 participants competing in arm wrestling, athletics, badminton, carrom, table tennis, football, handball, futsal, chess, high jump and volleyball.The meet was inaugurated by State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Tongpang Jamir, who said the event represented a celebration of ability, confidence, participation and inclusion.Jamir said persons with disabilities have the right to participate in sports and develop their talents, adding that greater focus was needed on opportunity, accessibility, support and an enabling environment.Referring to Nagaland’s achievements in disability sports, he highlighted Hokato Hotozhe Sema’s bronze medal in men’s shot put at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and Nagaland’s silver medal at the North East Blind Tournament in Odisha in July.He called for greater use of existing sports mechanisms to identify talent, provide coaching and training, and create pathways from grassroots participation to national and international competitions. He also stressed the importance of sign language and accessible communication, calling for a rights-based approach to disability inclusion.Principal of DBM, Christina Walling Zhimomi said the meet aimed to identify talented Deaf athletes and create visibility and opportunities for them to compete at higher levels. She said the event had been organised without institutional sponsorship, with contributions from working Deaf persons and support from well-wishers.Zhimomi said the meet also sought to strengthen the Deaf community and promote awareness of Deaf culture, while noting challenges in bringing participants together from different districts and neighbouring states.Speaking on behalf of the Deaf Community of Nagaland, Khareimi Lungleng, said the meet was not only about competition and medals but about creating opportunities for Deaf people to discover their abilities and aspire for greater achievements.Maongkaba Longkumer of the Deaf Sports Association of Nagaland expressed hope that the meet would become an annual event and help athletes progress to national competitions and the Deaflympics.The event is being supported through coaching and assistance from Special Olympics Nagaland and the Nagaland Chess Association, which is conducting what has been described as the first Nagaland Deaf Chess Championship.The opening programme included an invocation by Administrator, DBM, Amongla Ao, welcome address by Zhimomi, addresses by the dignitaries and vote of thanks by Wanchule Magh.