Curtain comes down on 5-day 3rd YAI North East Regatta
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 29: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Thursday announced a Rs 100-crore infrastructure development plan for Umiam Lake, including the introduction of lake cruises, during the closing ceremony of the 3rd YAI North East Regatta.
Speaking as the chief guest for the valedictory event, Lyngdoh praised the successful conclusion of the five-day sailing event and lauded the growing stature of the regatta.
“This regatta keeps growing every year,” he said, adding that for the first time, this year’s edition was live-streamed to allow parents to watch the races from afar.
Hailing the scenic beauty of Umiam Lake, Lyngdoh described it as “one of the most scenic sailing venues in the world” and expressed hope that sailors would return next year to enjoy the enhanced facilities planned under the new development initiative.
It may be mentioned that the regatta concluded after five days of exciting races, despite challenging weather conditions. Over 80 sailors from nine clubs across India participated, displaying grit, talent and sportsmanship across five classes of boats and 11 race categories. The event also served as a Junior National Ranking Event, with performances expected to play a key role in selections for the 2026 Asian Games.
Umiam’s own Doaydy T Sangma was named Most Promising Sailor, while the National Sailing School (NSS), Bhopal, emerged as the Best Sailing Club with 10 medals. NSS sailor Shashank Batham won the prestigious Col Jaggi Trophy for scoring seven hits in the ILCA 6 category.
The Umiam Sailing Club (USC), established just three years ago, fielded the third-largest contingent, underlining Meghalaya’s growing commitment to developing water sports and youth talent.
The regatta was organised by the Umiam Sailing Club and UDAY Sailing Foundation, in collaboration with the International 420 Class Association of India and the Yachting Association of India (YAI), and supported by the Tourism Department.
Others who were part of the closing ceremony included vice president of YAI, (retired) Lt Gen TSA Narayanan; YAI secretary, Captain Jitender Dixit; technical director, Colonel Alok Yadav and secretary, Robert Lyngdoh.
Also present were UDAY Sailing Foundation Directors Uday Bhan Singh Yadav and Sarla Yadav, along with coaches, sailors and volunteers.