Mizoram and Telangana sign MoU to boost sports collaboration

Aizawl: Mizoram and Telangana have signed an agreement to boost partnership and collaboration in the sports sector, an official said on Monday.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Telangana–North East Connect: A Techno-Cultural Festival held in Hyderabad on Saturday, the official said.

The document was formally exchanged between Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma and Mizoram Sports and Youth Services Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar after officials of both governments had signed it, he said.

During a panel discussion at the conference, Hmar spoke on “Mizoram as a Future Sports Powerhouse” and said that the northeastern state is moving ahead with a clear long-term vision and is making efforts to broaden excellence in other Olympic disciplines such as football.

Hmar highlighted the rollout of the Emerging Mizoram Sports (EMS) initiative under the state's flagship programme Bana Kaih or the handholding scheme to promote sports and groom talented youths in the state.

As part of the collaboration, he proposed exchange visits between athletes of the two states, sharing of coaching expertise, and access for Mizo sportspersons to train free of cost at Telangana’s advanced sports facilities.

Prominent Indian sportspersons such as badminton pioneer Pullela Gopichand from Telangana, Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu of Manipur, and Sikkim football superstar Bhaichung Bhutia also took part in the discussion, the official said.

The event, organised jointly by Telangana's Raj Bhavan and the Telangana government, also explored collaboration in music, women’s empowerment, fine arts, performing arts, literature, and film, he said.

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, ministers, and leading personalities from Northeastern states took part in the programme, the official added.