The 26th Inter-District & State Table Tennis Championship hosted by Mokokchung District under the aegis of Nagaland Table Tennis Association (NTTA) got underway on October 23 at Multi Purpose Sports Complex with Imkong L Imchen, Advisor, Information & Public Relations, Soil&Water Conservation Govt. of Nagaland as the Chief Patron.

In his speech, Chief Patron Imkong L Imchen stated, “Our Naga Society wants to grow and compete in the National and the International level, and yet we have our own inherent problem created by ourselves under which many of our advancements and progress were arrested, and our talent and quality could not be fully exploited over the years.”

Imchen also spoke at length on the Naga Political Issue during the sports event highligthing the aspirations of Nagas who wants a political settlement. Imchen expressed concern over the protracted Naga Solution where he accused thebnegotiators of “wanting to prolong it,” which he considered “very unfortunate.” “They wanted to prolong it, sustain it at the expense of our progress, advancements, and developmets. To trust in their word has become a very difficult issue,” stated Imchen.

Stressing on the importance of meaningful negotiation, Imchen said, “Once you have agreed to talk, you have to talk ‘Sense’,” and warned that discussing unreasonable and senseless issues could cost Nagas dearly.

He pointed out that the Naga people were never authorized under any situation or occasion, stating, “they don’t have the mandate” to address issues beyond certain boundaries. Imchen also highlighted the need for mutual consent to redraw state boundaries, emphasizing, “Only by the will of the Naga people, state boundaries cannot be drawn.” Referring to the NSCN faction’s framework agreement with the Government of India, he noted their objections to their own agreement and expressed confusion about the reasons behind their objections.

TT, referred to as Ping Pong, was connected to Naga Political talks, according to Imchen pointed out the America and China’s Ping-Pong diplomacy as a success, contrasting it with the lack of a success story in Naga political talks.

Imchen shared his observation of the growth of Mokokchung district, which, he said, had been arrested since the 1980s and remained in a state of stasis under the custodianship of the state township. He noted the challenges faced by businesses, saying, “If one wants to open a shop in the town, an extortion notice is received the very same day. Before you earn anything you have nothing, leading to the closure of the pan shop.” This, he emphasized, was how the growth and progress of Naga society had been hindered by unfair means.

In addressing the players, Imchen highlighted that in table tennis (TT), physical stature was not a prerequisite, but rather skill. He emphasized that Nagas possessed talent and potential, and to harness these potentialities, peace within society was necessary. He lamented the destruction of the peaceful atmosphere and noted that the problem was a creation of their own. He expressed confidence that the 26th Inter-District and State Table Tennis Championship would offer a “Story with a difference.”

In his welcome address, President Ali Walling, MDTTA expressed gratitude to the Nagaland Table Tennis Association (NTTA) for granting MDTTA the privilege to host the tournament. He emphasized that the tournament unites people as one and said, “Let us celebrate the joy of sports and witness the birth of a legend in the making.”

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Walling delved on the true spirit of success and sportsmanship stating that winning is not the sole measure of success. “It is the spirit of fairness and respect that truly defines it,” viewed Walling encouraging all the players from participating teams to exemplify true sportsmanship, play with integrity, and embrace the values of respect and fairness.

“Our actions today not only reflect upon ourselves but also upon the great sport of Table Tennis,” added Walling who concluded his speech expressing optimism that the tournament will serve as a source of inspiration for individuals to achieve greater heights in their careers.

Greetings from NTTA were extended during the release of the Coffee Table Book by Vitho Neikha, President of NTTA followed by the oath taking and declaration of championship by the Chief Patron.

A total of 14 districts are participating with five (5) players representing each district for the Team Championship and a total of 118 players will be participating in the Tournament.