In a significant boost to sports administration in the Northeast, a high-level delegation of officials from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) arrived in Kohima on Monday for its three-day Annual General Meeting (AGM), being held at Hotel Vivor. This marks the first instance of a national sports federation convening its AGM in Nagaland.
Addressing the media, Lalit K Bhanot, president of the South Asian Athletics Federation, stated that AFI’s approach of rotating its meetings across different regions was aimed at strengthening local athletic ecosystems and encouraging wider participation. He acknowledged the role of Abu Metha, AFI vice president, in bringing the AGM to Nagaland, and noted the presence of AFI president Bahadur Singh Sagoo and Adille J Sumariwalla, vice president of World Athletics.
Bhanot recalled Nagaland’s successful hosting of the South Asian Cross Country Championship, describing it as a milestone that demonstrated the state’s capability to organise international sporting events. He emphasized that AFI’s flagship National Inter-District Athletics Meet, spanning over 650 districts, remained the largest grassroots athletics programme globally, and noted that Nagaland was actively strengthening its district-level structures to identify emerging talent.
Among key policy discussions, Bhanot informed that AFI would deliberate on the implementation of the SRY gene test for female athletes, in line with international regulations, to ensure fair competition. He said the federation would bear the financial cost of these DNA-based tests, which would be introduced this year and made mandatory in due course.
He further stated that the AGM would review the performance of affiliated state units, assess their activities, and identify areas needing improvement. Observing disparities in performance across states, he said the federation would analyse factors behind the decline in some regions. He also highlighted AFI’s shift from centralised national coaching camps to a decentralised training model, supported by the growing availability of infrastructure such as synthetic tracks across the country. The new approach, he said, prioritised district-level coaching, technical training, and talent identification.
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Speaking on AFI’s strategic direction, Sumariwalla outlined a dual focus on elite performance and grassroots development. He pointed to India’s steady rise in international athletics, citing increased medal tallies in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympics, and World Championships as indicators of progress.
He described the inter-district programme as the backbone of talent scouting, with participation from over 620 districts and approximately 6,500 young athletes. He noted that AFI ensured inclusivity by covering all logistical expenses for participants, enabling wider access irrespective of financial background.
Underscoring the scale of India’s population, Sumariwalla stressed the importance of decentralized engagement, stating that AFI maintained regular interaction with district associations through visits and virtual platforms. He added that compliance measures, including organizational structure and financial accountability, had been institutionalized at the district level.
He also highlighted that AFI conducts 42 competitions annually and has significantly expanded its technical capacity, with thousands of trained coaches and officials now part of the system. Emphasizing long-term planning, he said sustained success required patience and investment over multiple Olympic cycles.
Earlier, Metha described the AGM as a historic occasion for Nagaland and expressed gratitude to AFI for selecting Kohima as the host city. He informed that the event had brought together top administrators, coaches, sponsors, sports scientists, and decorated athletes, including Arjuna awardees and international medallists.
Metha noted that AFI had been recognized as Asia’s best athletics federation and ranked among the top globally. He said the AGM would focus on future strategies for major international events, including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, World Championships, and Olympics, while also prioritising the development of athletics in the Northeast.
He added that the initiative aimed to promote inclusivity, national integration, and youth engagement through sports. As part of the programme, delegates are scheduled to visit the World War II Cemetery in Kohima to lay a wreath, while official engagements include interactions hosted by the Governor and Chief Minister. The Chief Minister is set to inaugurate the AGM and will be honoured by AFI for contributions to sports development in the state.
