SHILLONG, MAR 20: Meghalaya State Planning Board co‑chairman John F Kharshiing met Union DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on March 19 to press for institutional and financial backing for three regional sport initiatives, including the 4th North East Games in Arunachal Pradesh, indoor halls in every C&RD block, and a CSR‑style seed fund for athletes and state associations.
Kharshiing, who also serves as secretary general of the North East Sports Association and working president of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, said more than 3,500 athletes and 500 officials from eight states would take part in the proposed Games, calling it “a major platform to promote regional integration, nurture young talent, and build competitive sporting standards aligned with national and international benchmarks.”
He sought phased construction of PEB indoor multi‑sports halls (70 m × 50 m × 8.5 m) across blocks — 55 in Meghalaya and 686 elsewhere in the region — to give rural youth “year‑round training and community engagement spaces.”
A dedicated fund, he argued, would bridge travel and logistics gaps for athletes competing nationally, with “team preparation mode for the upcoming 39th National Games” underway in Meghalaya.
Scindia appreciated the proposals and assured they would be examined once routed through state governments, Kharshiing said, calling the discussion a step toward stronger collaboration for a “robust and inclusive sporting framework for the North East.”
