Nagaland Olympic Association Secretary General Abu Metha recently concluded an official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic, heralding a significant advancement in bilateral sports cooperation.
The distinguished advisor to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio served as the Chief Guest at the esteemed Alysh (Belt Wrestling) Grand Prix held in Bishkek, the capital city of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Metha’s visit was extended upon the invitation of Sultanbekova Cholpon Aalyevna, former Deputy Prime Minister and current Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation, State Structure, Judicial and Legal Issues and Rules of Procedure of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic. Cholpon serves as the President of the World Belt Wrestling Committee of United World Wrestling.
During his stay, Metha engaged in fruitful discussions with prominent figures including the Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Director of the Department of Physical Education and Sports, the President of World Alysh Federation, and the Deputy Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament. These meetings centred on fortifying bilateral relations, encouraging people-to-people contacts, and enhancing collaborative efforts in sports promotion.
Metha highlighted Bharat’s economic growth and its stature as a sporting destination, echoing the Prime Minister’s vision of revitalising indigenous and traditional sports.
As a member of the Indian Belt Wrestling Team, Metha, alongside Omarmukhtar Tamboli, President of the Indian Belt Wrestling Federation, and five athletes from Nagaland, participated in the Grand Prix. The team underwent rigorous training in Bishkek under international coaches provided by the Kyrgyz Alysh Federation, culminating in a Bronze Medal victory in the 70 Kg category, with Rokuo Kire Khawakhrie from Nagaland clinching the honor.
Expressing optimism for future collaborations, Metha highlighted the positive outcomes of his discussions with Kyrgyz officials and sporting dignitaries, aiming to bolster capacity-building initiatives, workshops, and seminars for India and Nagaland, particularly in wrestling.
He emphasised Nagaland’s consistent success in international wrestling competitions, attributing it to focused training, exposure, and coaching. Looking ahead, Metha outlined plans to elevate indigenous Naga wrestling onto national and international platforms, with the aspiration of securing more accolades for the region on the global stage.
