From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday declared open the first edition of North East Olympic Games 2018, in the presence of all state Olympic Association presidents and secretaries from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, at Main Stadium Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, Imphal.
Around 2000 thousand athletes will compete in 12 disciplines including Athletics, Archery, Badminton, Boxing, Football, Judo, Karate-Do, Shooting, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Weightlifting and Wushu.
Meghalaya has sent a contingent of 216 athletes and players who will feature in 11disciplines.
Top medal winners of Manipur lit the Northeast Olympic torch.
The Manipur chief minister expressed appreciation to North Eastern Council for assistance of Rs 20 lakh for the games. The director of NEC was present on the occasion.
The Manipur government had provided Rs 50 lakh for the event. Meghalaya State Olympic Association working president, John F Kharshiing presented a book on indigenous art and culture of Meghalaya to Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh and Th. Radheshyam Singh, chairman, organising committee and president, Manipur Olympic Association, during the opening ceremony of the 1st North East Olympic Games 2018, in Imphal on Wednesday.
The secretary general of Manipur State Olympic Association read out the message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who praised the talent the Northeast has in sports and the performance of the athletes to bring laurels to the country.