The Nagaland Physique Alliance (NPA) announced the forthcoming third edition of the National Physique Committee (NPC) Nagaland Championship, to be held from April 4 to 6, at Dimapur. This was informed by NPA State Head, Tohovi Achumi, during a press conference held at Duncan Basti on Thursday.
Achumi revealed that the championship, scheduled for April 4 to 6 in Dimapur, will encompass Body Building, Arm Wrestling, Power Lifting, and Strong Man competitions, each with its own subcategories.
He added that the event is touted as the most significant showcase of Bodybuilding and Arm Wrestling talent in North East India, drawing participants not only from Nagaland but also from neighboring states like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Manipur.
Emphasizing the extensive reach of the championship, he stated that NPA aims to promote athletes, progressing from local to state, regional, national, and even international levels.
He further informed that winners of the NPC Nagaland Championship would to represent Nagaland at the national level in Delhi.
Meanwhile, State Manager, NPA, Kimyeto Agapeto, highlighted on the mandatory online registration, requiring aspiring athletes to pay 30 US Dollars to the parent body, located in the USA. He noted that no athlete would be allowed to participate in the championship without the online registration.
Dwelling on the reasons for the mandatory registration process, he informed that the measure was aimed to attract only genuine athletes, while also facilitating record tracking for participants at every level. “The one-year registration ensures that athletes cannot compete without NPC registration, a prerequisite for national and international competitions”, he stated.
Achumi maintained that NPA aims to promote young talent, challenging them to overcome laziness and embrace fitness.
Responding to the gender gap in participation, State Manager, NPA, Bendangliba Longkumer, shared on efforts to provide platforms for women athletes. He noted that despite opportunities involving offering platforms and training them, he lamented that there has been limited involvement from women.
He further informed that many women from Assam and Meghalaya had turned up in the previous events, expressing hope to have more women participants in the forthcoming championship event.
Meanwhile, the press conference also witnessed change of guard within NPA, with Tohovi Achumi taking charge as the State Head, Tarun Khurana as state coordinator, Kimyeto Agapeto as state manager, Bendangliba Longkumer as state treasurer, and others taking up key positions.NPA further expressed its commitment to organizing events at the district leve l, including Sub-Junior and Junior categories in schools and colleges, fostering fitness awareness and talent development at a grassroots level.