A contingent of 11 dart players from Nagaland showcased their skill and determination at the National Mega Darts Event, held at the prestigious Tollygunge Club, Kolkata from October 3 to 5, 2025. The prestigious event featured three major competitions: World Darts Championship 2025–26 – India Qualifier; Youth National Championship; and the inaugural Indian Darts League (IDL)
Organized under the aegis of the Indian Darts Council (IDC), the event marked a turning point in the Indian darts scene. Over the past few years, IDC has revolutionized the sport in the country, offering crucial international exposure and strengthening the domestic competitive landscape.
RESULT HIGHLIGHTS
- World Darts Championship 2025–26 – India Qualifier
Limatoshi – Joint 5th Place, ₹5,000 cash prize
Vikeheilie Suohu – Joint 9th Place, ₹3,000
Kezhaletuo Semou & Kikruneizo Zatsu – Joint 17th Place, ₹2,000 each
A highlight of the qualifiers was a major upset by Limatoshi, who defeated the reigning India No.1, Nitin Kumar, with a stunning 4–1 victory in the second qualifying round. This opened the race for India’s sole spot at the upcoming World Darts Championship 2025 at Ally Pally, London. However, Nitin Kumar ultimately clinched the final qualifier in a thrilling finish, earning the ticket to London, ₹30,000 in prize money, and a guaranteed £15,000 (~₹18 lakhs).
- Indian Darts League (IDL) 2025 – A Grand Debut
The first-ever Indian Darts League featured 16 franchise teams, an exciting auction of players, and a total prize pool exceeding ₹8 lakhs. Naga players made a strong impact:
Simon Kelio & Kezhaletuo Semou (Team: TBC Darters, Kolkata)
Kikruneizo Zatsu (Team: Planet Darters)
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All secured Joint 3rd Place, winning ₹50,000 each
But the biggest moment came when Limatoshi, playing for the Biscotti Barrels (Kolkata), clinched the championship title, hitting the winning checkout dart in a high-stakes final match. His victory earned the team the IDL 2025 Champion Trophy and a grand cash prize of ₹4,00,000.
Nagaland Darts Association engaged in strategic talks with National and International Darts Bodies during the event on October 5. NDA officials officially met with the Indian Darts Council (IDC), the national nodal agency for darts in India, lead by Devesh Srivastava, the dynamic President of IDC, who is widely credited with revolutionizing the darts scene in India by creating platforms at both national and international levels.
The meetings aimed at strengthening the growth and development of darts in the state and beyond. NDA and IDC deliberated on a range of future initiatives aiming at strengthening grassroots participation, supporting young and aspiring dart players, establishing holistic development frameworks for the sport and promoting regional and national collaboration to elevate darts across India.
Both bodies expressed a strong commitment to strategic collaboration, with a special focus on youth development and policy-level support to nurture talent from the grassroots.
Meanwhile, in a major development, the NDA also engaged in dialogue with Steve Brown, Founder and Chairman of the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC), UK, and Darren Barson, CEO of JDC. JDC engaged in setting up darts academies specifically for players under the age of 18 where NDA anticipates the rollout of selected JDC programs in Nagaland under the guidance of the Indian Darts Council in the near future by facilitating international exposure and structured training pathways for youth.
Further strengthening its international ties, the NDA held fruitful conversations with Joshua, Asia-Pacific Ambassador of DartsConnect (the official scorekeeper for the Professional Darts Corporation – PDC) and Nancy, President of the Malaysia Darts Association focusing on future collaborative ventures in Nagaland, technical support, tournament participation, and knowledge sharing to elevate the standard of darts in the region.
