Indigenous sports

Silchar, Nov. 12: Upper Republic and Durtlang North jointly bagged the first position with 72 points each in all the seven events of the Mizo indigenous sports festival.

The festival, a first of its kind organised by Doordarshan in association with the state sports council, saw participation by different branches of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the largest non-governmental organisation of Mizoram. Altogether, 37 branches of YMA participated in the event, which concluded last week at Brigade Field in Bawngkawn, Aizawl.

Chaltlang and Sakawrtuichhun of YMA jointly secured second position with 47 points each.

The four events for men were inbuan (wrestling), insuknawr (stick fighting), insaihruipawh (where two participants stand inside a circle holding either end of a log with the objective of driving the other person out of the circle) and inarpa sual (a type of one-legged wrestling).

The three events for women were inkawibah (a game played with kawi beans), ketaminu tlansiak (bamboo-carrying race) and tuium khirha tui inchawisiak (a race carrying water with bamboo poles).

Vanlaltlana Varte, programme executive and the chairman of the organising committee of the festival told The Telegraph today that the event was organised to promote traditional games of Mizoram. "We have received a very good response from the people of the state. The event was a grand success," he added.

Mizoram league

Round 11 of the Mizoram Premier League will begin on Friday. In the first encounter, Chanmari West FC will play against the Mizoram Police FC, while Zo United FC will take on Chanmari FC in the second match.