Nagaland State Archery Coach and Joint Secretary of the Archery Association of India (AAI), Hunezo Thisa, 52 years, passed away on April 19 in Kohima following a brief illness.

An active archer from 1988 to 2007, Thisa was a pioneering sportsperson from Nagaland who represented the state in various prestigious competitions, including the National Games and North East Archery Championships. He was best known as the first from Nagaland to have won a record setting Gold Medal for Archery, a feat he achieved at the 1994 National Games held in Maharashtra.

He served as the state archery coach at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima, where he had mentored numerous national and international archers.

He was conferred the Dr. T. Ao State Sports Award in 2018 in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the sport.

The Archery Association of India (AAI) offered its condolences on Thisa’s demise, stating that it leaves a void that will be deeply felt across the archery fraternity.

“His unwavering dedication and relentless hard work were instrumental in elevating Nagaland Archery to the top level. He poured his heart and soul into nurturing talent, developing infrastructure, and promoting the spirit of archery within the state. His passion was infectious, inspiring countless individuals to take up the bow and arrow. We have lost a valuable colleague and a sincere friend,” stated a condolence message from AAI president, Arjun Munda.

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In a separate message, the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) expressed sadness over the  demise of Thisa.  “Hunezo was an accomplished sportsperson, a decorated coach and an able administrator. He holds the distinction of being one of the first gold medalists from Nagaland at the National Games, having earned this honor in 1994 in

Maharashtra. As a coach, he mentored and nurtured numerous champion archers who brought laurels to the state at various national and regional events,” NOA Secretary General Abu Metha said in a condolence message.

Recalling Thisa as deeply committed, passionate about his  profession who brought boundless energy and optimism to every task he undertook, Metha stated his passing as an immense loss to the Olympic movement, and the  void left behind will be difficult to fill.

“His contributions and sacrifices in the field of sports—especially archery—will be remembered with respect and gratitude,” the NOA official said.

Meanwhile, a send-off service for late Thisa was held at IG Stadium, Kohima on Saturday afternoon, after which, his mortal remains were taken to the native village Thenyizu in Phek district for the last rites. As per family sources, the funeral service will be held on April 20.