File picture of Nagaland archer Chekrovolu Swuro during the 33rd National Games at Chatra Sing Teron Archery Range in Tepesia on the outskirts of Guwahati. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Feb. 20: As Assam basked in the glory of an event successfully hosted, a sporting revolution crept silently into neighbouring Nagaland. The tiny northeastern state had a dream debut in the 33rd National Games, bringing home 11 medals, including a gold.

Prompted by the success of sportspersons from the state in the Indian Olympic Association’s biennial event, the Nagaland Olympic Association has proposed to undertake special initiatives to develop and promote contact sports.

“The National Games, where we fielded a hurriedly prepared contingent, proved that we have good potential in contact sports. We prepared the teams for a mere 20 days before we were given a wild card entry for the Games,” association general secretary T. Meren Paul told The Telegraph from Kohima.

The association, which was formed in 1999 and affiliated to the IOA in 2004, had applied for a wild card entry in November last year. Their plea got the IOA nod only on February 2. Nagaland took part in nine disciplines.

“We don’t have infrastructure like in Assam or Manipur. So we cannot afford to give a thrust to the development of team sports immediately. For individual games, especially contact sports, the infrastructural requirement is minimum and we propose to capitalise on whatever we have at our disposal,” Paul said.

Barring a bronze each in archery and sepak takraw, the 110-member Nagaland contingent bagged nine medals in contact sports. International archer Chekrovolu Swuro claimed the archery bronze in women’s recurve, while the women’s sepak takraw team lifted bronze.

Psilas became the first ever National Games gold medallist from the state winning the taekwondo middle weight (78-84 kg) gold. Pugilist Mohan Kumar clinched the first ever silver for the state in bantam weight (51-54 kg).

The bronze medallists included women boxers Alumg A. (light fly weight 46-48 kg) and Jasbir Jile Singh (middle weight 69-75 kg), wrestler A. Geetarani in women’s freestyle below-67 kg, Bijen W. Singh (chang quan), Matsung Jamir A. (sanshou below-52 kg) and Pitsa Sangtam (sanshou below-75 kg) in men’s wushu.

Besides, shuttler Joseph Chishi showed promise against national champion Chetan Anand in a preliminary-round match.

According to the Nagaland government’s sports policy, gold medallists in the Games are entitled to Rs 51,000 in cash, while silver and bronze winners are awarded Rs 31,000 and Rs 21,000. Paul said apart from the government provisions, he expected the association president, chief minister Neiphiu Rio, to announce some bonus incentives.