By Our Reporter
Shillong, April 16: Meghalaya’s Under-17 badminton team is set to represent the state at the 69th National School Games 2025-26, scheduled to be held from April 16 to 22 at the Thyagraj Stadium in New Delhi.
The contingent, comprising eight young shuttlers in the boys’ and girls’ categories, was selected following rigorous trials conducted by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya.In the boys’ section, Karlsten Diengdoh and Haegan J. Diengdoh from St. Edmund’s School have been named alongside Enrique Syiem of Alpha English Higher Secondary School and Gavin Kharbuki of St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School.The girls’ team includes Netania T. Tariang and Deiphisha Dohling from Shillong College, Inriti Nongtraw of Loreto Convent and Josie Hadem from Pine Mount School.
The team will be guided by officials Eranecles Syiem and Aibanker Kharbithai during the course of the championship.Organised under the aegis of the School Games Federation of India, the National School Games serves as a premier platform for school athletes to compete at the national level. The tournament is expected to provide valuable exposure to the Meghalaya players and play a key role in their sporting development.
As the young contingent prepares to step onto the courts in the national capital, the tournament presents not just a test of skill but an opportunity to measure themselves against the best emerging talent from across the country. For many, this will be their first taste of competition at such a stage — a moment filled with nerves, excitement and quiet ambition. Yet, beyond wins and losses, the experience gained in New Delhi is expected to shape their journey ahead, sharpening both temperament and technique. With disciplined preparation behind them and guidance at hand, Meghalaya will hope its rising shuttlers can rise to the occasion, carry the state’s colours with pride, and perhaps return with performances that hint at a brighter future for badminton in the region.
In many ways, this journey is as much about belief as it is about badminton. For these young athletes, drawn from different schools yet united by a shared dream, the National School Games offer a rare stage to announce their arrival.
