Guwahati: The Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma Athletics Stadium was inaugurated in Tura, the largest town in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya on Friday. The stadium has been named after freedom fighter Pa Togan Sangma. The state-of-the-art facility stadium has been constructed at a cost of Rs 16.02 crore.
According to a press release, the inauguration ceremony saw the presence of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly Thomas A. Sangma, the state’s Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Shakliar Warjri and Minister of Housing, Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Soil and Energy Conservation Marcuise N. Marak among other dignitaries graces the occasion.
The stadium, equipped with an eight-lane synthetic athletic track meeting international standards and an administrative block, is dedicated to fostering athletic excellence and nurturing the aspirations of the budding champions. The timely completion of this infrastructure will allow Tura to proudly host the 5th Meghalaya Games 2024, showcasing its readiness for national sporting events. Furthermore, the stadium had successfully hosted the North East Olympics with the participation of over 4,000 athletes from eight states, the press release also stated.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sangma said, “In the past year, Meghalaya’s athletes have brought numerous accolades, a testament to the immense potential this region holds. The journey towards this achievement began in 2020-21, when the project was sanctioned at a cost of Rs 16.02 crore. Today, we stand proud with a synthetic eight-lane athletic track, meeting international standards, and featuring a track and administrative block.”
Chief Minister Sangma said that the impact of this infrastructure goes beyond medals and victories and the Meghalaya government is investing in grassroot sports, with over 200 new infrastructures at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore. The stadium serves as a catalyst for athletic discovery and development, it stated.
“Looking ahead, we envision expansion to hostels, public gymnasiums and broader utilisation by the Meghalaya Athletics Association and open doors to other sporting disciplines including cricket, football, traditional sports and more. Our vision for 2032 must take root in the present and I encourage the youth of Garo Hills to embrace the facilities on offer for a brighter and more athletic future,” Chief Minister Sangma added.
Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Warjri said that the stadium embodies the commitment of the Meghalaya government to promoting sports and community engagement throughout the state.
“The STAR programme was launched with a goal to identify sporting talents by testing them at the international standards in various athletic disciplines, out of which, 200 are now channeled into the elite pathway programme, 11 are being trained under a super elite pathway programme, with six proudly hailing from the Garo Hills itself. Over 200 new sports infrastructures are being constructed across the state with an investment of Rs 500 crore. This stadium is not merely a testament to the present, but embodies our ambitious vision 2032 nurturing Olympians to represent India in different sporting disciplines and platforms,” Warjri added.
Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma, a freedom fighter from the Garo Hills, fought against the British in 1872 during the British occupation of Garo Hills.