By Our Reporter
Shillong, Sep 26: The 2nd edition of the North East Olympic Games is set to be hosted by Meghalaya as part of its 50th anniversary of statehood celebrations in November 2022 and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has encouraged all stakeholders, from players and coaches, to officials to dream big.
During the curtain raiser of the Games, at Pinewood Hotel on Monday, the Chief Minister unveiled the Games’ logo, the official mascot – NEO, a clouded leopard, which is Meghalaya’s state animal – and launched the Games’ website and information booklet.
The mega regional sporting event – to be held from 10 to 16 November – returns after four years, with the inaugural event having taken place in Manipur in 2018. There will be 3,000-plus athletes plus officials and spectators at the NEOG 22 taking part in 18 disciplines.
Also present on the occasion were Chief Secretary of Meghalaya Donald P Wahlang, Commissioner and Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Affairs (DSYA), Dr Vijay Kumar D, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, RM Kurbah, Under Secretary, DSYA, Shivansh Awasthi, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Isawanda Laloo and Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA) Working President John F Kharshiing, among others.
“I congratulate and thank the Meghalaya State Olympic Association and Department of Sports and Youth Affairs for working very hard to organise the North East Olympic Games in Meghalaya. It is a great milestone and all stakeholders have worked very hard to achieve this and bring it together,” the Chief Minister said in his short speech.