sign in sign up
<<
Home , Ankit Sharma (athlete), Mukna, Shiva Thapa, South Asian Games

Ei Prithibi Ek Krirangan*

* Assamese song by Late Shri Bhupen Hazarika, English translation on back inside cover. Foreword

Sarbananda Sonowal N. Ramachandran Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports (I/C) President, SAOC & IOA, Government of Co- Chairman, OC - SAG & Chairman OC - SAG

When the decision to host the 12th South in & was taken, it was met with a lot of skepticism as to whether the cities will be able to host the Games at such a short notice. However, where there is a will there is a way and it was demonstrated by everyone who was part of the Games and contributed to the successful conduct of the Games. The conduct of the 12th South Asian Games in Guwahati & I thank the Union Government of India, especially the Prime Minster, Ministry of Shillong was a grand success. The standards of the various Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting sports disciplines have also been raised during the Games. and Ministry of Civil Aviation for providing all the necessary support for the conduct of the Games. I thank the State Governments of & Meghalaya A record number of 3500 athletes and officials participated who left no stone unturned for the development of the infrastructure in a very in the Games. short time and for providing all necessary support to the Organizing Committee of the Games. A special thanks goes out to the Indian Olympic Association and I thank the Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, the National Sport for the flawless manner in which the technical Government of India and his entire team who spared no conduct of the Games happened. I also thank the National Olympic Committees efforts along with the Indian Olympic Association to make of all the participating countries for sending their contingents in large numbers these Games an astounding success. My sincere thanks which made the Games a sporting spectacle to remember. to the National Sport Federations and the State Olympic I congratulate all the athletes who participated in the Games and brought Associations whose relentless support ensured the success laurels for their nations. The fact that the Games were played in true sportsman spirit is something for everyone to be proud of, the message of “Play for Peace, of the Games. Progress & Prosperity” was carried all over through the 3500 The 12th South Asian Games would not have been a participating athletes & officials. I also congratulate the people of Assam & Meghalaya for showcasing the culture of the North Eastern region on the global success without the active support and assistance rendered stage. The 3000+ volunteers who played the most crucial role in this regard by by the State Governments of Assam & Meghalaya. connecting the Games with local culture deserve a special acknowledgement. The workforce of around 500 which assembled from all over the country also Finally, on behalf of the IOA, I wish to thank all the volunteers needs to be congratulated for the hard work put in to make the Games the best who worked day and night to make the 12th South Asian South Asian Games ever. Games a memorable event. 16th February 2016 brought the curtains down on a very special occasion in the history of the North East of the country but I am sure that the 12th South Asian Games will prove to be the stepping stone for more sports events in the region and will also inspire a generation of new sports heroes from the region who will bring glory to the country. I also believe that sports will play a crucial role in the unity of the South Asian Region and the future editions of the Games will further strengthen the bond of friendship and brotherhood amongst the 8 South Asian countries.

2 Foreword

Rajiv Yadav Rajeev Mehta Secretary Sports Secretary General, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Indian Olympic Association Government of India

ports have always been an integral part of the society and he South Asia Olympic Council was established major sporting events have been known to inspire generations in 1983 with the vision to promote the Olympic to take up sports as a key component of their lives. It is with this TValues in the South Asian region. The South Asian S Games, since inception, have carried forward the ambition that the decision to host the 12th South Asian Games, in the two sports-passionate beautiful cities of Guwahati & Shillong with message of Play for Peace, Progress and Prosperity incredible potential, was taken. for the last three decades. Every edition has been a gone-ahead of its previous edition and enhanced the It gave me immense pleasure to see the way the people of both the spirit of sportsmanship amongst the athletes of South cities embraced the Games and came forward to support the Games. Asia. It was the enthusiasm of the people of these cities that made the Games such a resounding success. My heartfelt thanks to the millions In line with the goals of the Olympic Movement, the residing in the two cities. Athletes are the heart of the Games and 12th South Asian Games organised in Guwahati their spirited performances lit up the arenas and made their nations & Shillong, were held to strengthen the bond of proud with their achievements. I salute the spirit of sportsmanship friendship amongst the South Asian countries thereby demonstrated by all the athletes and I am sure that it will inspire a contributing to the development of a much better and whole generation. peaceful world. The Games embodied in the Olympic spirit, were played with friendship, solidarity and fair I sincerely, appreciate the work done by the Organising Committee play. under the astute leadership of Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports (I/C), Government of India and The Olympic activity of women in sports was well and Chairman OC-SAG. The hard work put in by the workforce to deliver truly a key feature of the 12th South Asian Games the Games in a short lead time is commendable and I am confident with the Games being the first South Asian Games that this experience will reap rich dividends for them in the future. to have men’s and women’s competitions in each and every sport. I thank all the National Olympic Lastly, the Games would not have been possible without the Committees of South Asia for sending their women support of Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, contingents in large numbers. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Civil Aviation, the state Governments of Assam and Meghalaya, Indian Olympic Lastly, I am confident that the Games will have Association and the National Sports Federations. The cooperation a lasting impression on the minds of everyone demonstrated by all the stakeholders for the conduct of the Games involved and the philosophy of Olympism will keep was unprecedented and I believe that the successful conduct of the growing in the region with the continuous growth South Asian Games has written a new chapter on organization of and development of the South Asian Games and the major sports events in the country. South Asia Olympic Council.

3 Foreword

Injeti Srinivas Shri R.K. Sharma Director General, CEO Shillong Sports Authority of India & CEO-Guwahati, 12th South Asian Games

he South Asian Games which cater to 8 nations which ince time immemorial, games & sports have been constitute 21% of the world population and contribute 9% to an integral part of the civilizations around the globe Tthe world economy are a landmark event which help bring Sinspiring both men and women to excel in this field. together the 8 nations on the same platform, and foster the spirit of Organized in this spirit, the 12th SA Games comprising 8 friendship & brotherhood with sports being the thread that binds South Asian countries witnessed 12 glorious days of intense them together. The South Asian region, which is going through sports competition among 3500 athletes vying to bag 789 a phase of social and economic transformation, needs to stick medals in 22 sports disciplines. In the process, many new together and the South Asian Games are a vital cog in binding South Asian Games’ records were set with majority of them the nations together. belonging to India. The Games provide an excellent platform for the athletes from the The games not only provided an excellent platform for the region to showcase their potential at the South Asian level and sportspersons from the region to exhibit their skills, stamina to reach greater heights at the international stage. The Games and mental toughness, but also provided a rare opportunity also provide an opportunity to the host cities to showcase their to the sports loving people of the beautiful and picturesque potential in the South Asian Region which can lead to favourable cities of Guwahati and Shillong to witness world class opportunities in business and tourism within the region and can athletes in action from close quarters. The whole-hearted later be taken to the global level. The nature-rich cities of Guwahati sportsmanship and intense performances exhibited by the & Shillong, which are the crowning jewels of the North East of athletes and the wholesome cheers and support rendered the country, were thus the ideal cities for the 12th South Asian by the people of the two cities in particular and North East Games and the cities delivered in a glorious manner, thanks to the in general – made the games a resounding success. combined efforts of the State Governments of both the states and most importantly the enthusiasm with which the people in both the The complex challenges posed during the conduct of the cities opened their arms to welcome the Games. games were successfully converted into opportunities to The conduct of the Games posed some complex challenges excel and deliver on the games by all the important and which were overcome with support of the various Ministries of key stakeholders. The whole-hearted support extended by the Government of India, the Indian Olympic Association, the the State Governments of Assam and Meghalaya; Indian National Sport Federations, Sports Authority of India and the team- Olympic Association/ National Sports Federations; various work demonstrated by all the functional areas of the Organising Ministries of Govt. of India and the young and ebullient Committee. The final preparations and conduct of the Games was volunteers resulted in successful organization of the Games. given additional boost by the young enthusiastic volunteers who While extending appreciation and thanks to every formed the backbone for the Games. I thank everyone for the contributing entity, I wish and hope the best for the next support provided and wish that the next edition of the Games in edition of the Games in , . Nepal will be even bigger and better.

4 5 CONTENTS

South Asian Games 08 The Three Decade Old History

12th South Asian Games 10 In Numbers

13 People’s Games

12 Days to Remember 37

Breaking the Barriers 58 Kavita Raut – Making it to Rio Bembem Devi – The Torchbearer of Indian Women’s Football Rohullah Nikpai – The Poster Boy of Khoushleem Bano, Ruksana Parveen & Sofia Javed – First Female Boxers from Mathew Abeysinghe & Kimiko Raheem – Golden Swimmers from Phupu Lhamu Khatri – Sensation from Nepal

6 Superstars of Tomorrow 72

Lianna Catherine Swan – Golden Girl of Pakistan Hishama Eashan – The Fastest Man in South Asia Tejaswin Shankar & Neeraj Cho pra – Future of Indian Athletics Ruthvika Shivani – Future of Indian Bidyaluxmi Tourangbam – Cycling her way to Glory

Sports Authority of India 91 Transforming Indian Sports

Archers – Hitting the Bull’s Eye Athletics – A Bright Future Transformation of Indian Women’s Hockey Boxers Par Excellence Supporting & Nurturing Talent from Every Sport

The Games Experience 110

What hosting Games meant for Assam & Meghalaya? Being the Workforce The Volunteer Experience Being a Sponsor

7 South Asian Games The three decade old history

The South Asian Games held biannually INCREASE IN MEDAL EVENTS WITH EVERY EDITION is the flagship event of the South Asia 300 Olympic Council formerly known as South Asian . Formed in 1983 to foster 250

the spirit of friendship and brotherhood 200 amongst the South Asian countries through the power of sports, the first edition of the 150

Games was held in Kathmandu, Nepal. 100 During the more than three decade old history of the event, the Games have been 50

hosted 12 times and scale of the event each 0 time has been bigger than the previous 1984 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1999 2004 2006 2010 2016 edition. The event which started off as a 5 sport competition with 60 medals is now a 23 sport competition featuring 239 medal events. The event has been hosted across the region with being the most INCREASE IN NUMBER OF SPORTS WITH EVERY EDITION prominent by hosting the event three times, 25 followed-up by Kathmandu, and , which have hosted the event 20 two times each. India has hosted the Games thrice with the first one in 1987 15 in (Calcutta), (Madras) in 1995 and the recent edition of the Games 10 in Guwahati & Shillong. 5 The increased scale with every edition of the Games highlights the importance of 0 the Games in the region and provides a 1984 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1999 2004 2006 2010 2016 perfect launch pad for South Asian Athletes to test their mettle on the Global stage.

8 The previous hosts Kathmandu Dhaka

Kolkata Islamabad

Colombo Chennai

9 10 11 12 People’s Games

The South Asian Games connected with the masses in a grand way with each and every person in Guwahati & Shillong feeling as if they were part of the Games.

13 The logo consisting of eight petals used the colours adjourning the flags of the eight participating countries in the 12th South Asian Games. The petals depicting a clockwise movement represented the positive spirit of the Games. The design of the logo also resembled a head gear that was given to the winners of Games during the ancient times in Europe. The orchid in the centre was representative of the State of Meghalaya, depicting a warm welcome to all participants of the Games. The orchid also symbolized the blooming of the synergy between these eight great nations. The traditional Gamosa (towel) was representative of Assamese tradition of welcoming guests and as a sign of respect for all the participating countries. The logo was designed to capture the essence of the Games - Peace, Prosperity and Progress. Peace was symbolized with the similarity given to all petals in terms of shape and size, Prosperity was depicted through continuation amongst petals representing the various countries and the unity within and Progress was symbolized by the clockwise movement of the petals.

14 ‘Tikhor’ the Mascot of the Games, came to life in a glittering cultural show on 13th December 2015. The Mascot, which was a baby rhino was designed as a tribute to the local one horned rhino and was unveiled by a host of dignitaries. It was instantly a favourite of all owing to its charismatic and charming persona.

15 The Torch of the 12th South Asian Games was truly unique, being made up of Bamboo which is very popular in the region. The bamboo torch was provided an added charm by the careful use of colours of the flags of the participating countries. The bamboo Torch made for the Games, was one of its own kind and the torch relay was launched amidst a lot of fanfare at the National Stadium in Delhi on 17th January 2016 by Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports (independent charge), Government of India in the presence of Shri N. Ramachandran, President IOA and Shri Rajiv Mehta, Secretary General, IOA, eminent sports personalities and around 2000 students from various schools & colleges.

On its journey, the Torch moved to the North East and thereafter travelled to all the North Eastern State Capitals, thus binding the whole of the region with the Games.

16 Each leg of the Torch relay was welcomed by each of the cities in a grand way. Each city of the North East embraced the Games as their own owing to the journey of the Torch.

17 The Torch was welcomed in each of the state capitals by the respective Chief Ministers and eminent sportspersons.

Shri PBO Warjri, Chief Secretary, Meghalaya, received the Torch in Shillong.

18 The Torch relay in Shillong was flagged off with the run for North East - a 5 km running event, which featured sports stars from the region. Iron man Milind Soman & Iron fists Mary Kom share a light moment before the run.

19 The run for North East was embraced by one and all in the host cities. It was a family event which witnessed participation across all age groups.

20 Torch Relay in all the North Eastern cities saw crowds in large numbers.

21 ‘TIKHOR’ was the darling of one and all in the region and everyone, from the young ones to the elders could not resist but take a selfie with Tikhor courtesy the #selfiewithtikhor campaign that was launched during the Games.

22 ‘TIKHOR’ visited all parts of the host cities and the regions nearby and befriended everyone, be it….

People on the streets

23 People at mass events across the states

24 Members of the bikers’ club 25 German language professors

26 Or superstar singer Papon….

27 “Sportsmanship is a philosophy of life harmonizing in a balanced whole the qualities of endurance, will and mind. The challenge for performance, the joy of effort, the cheer of success, the spirit of friendship and fair play in a sports arena speak volumes about how culture, education, ethics, dignity and society get intertwined with each other during such sports events”.

28 The Opening Ceremony of the Games held on 5th February 2016 was a cultural extravaganza and showcased the culture of North East in a brilliant fashion, which each of the 8 states represented in the performances.

The Ceremony also had performances of dancers from across India, giving the participants and the spectators a sneak peek into the heterogeneous culture of the country.

29 30 The Opening Ceremony showcased the story of technological advances made by India in recent times with the feature on ‘Mangalyaan’ being the highlight.

31 An equally glittering ceremony was held in Shillong on 6th February, 2016

32 with the contingents of each of the nations doing a customary parade.

33 The jam packed Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati witnessed an enthralling Closing Ceremony with breath- taking performances by Sahastra Seeema Bal...

34 and the man with a velvet voice...... SHAAN

35 36 1212 DaysDays toto RememberRemember

37 The Sri Lankan contingent put in some spirited performances on their way to 188 medals during the Games. Not only did they win the medals, they also won the hearts of the people with their sportsman spirit and pleasing demeanor. The cycling team from Sri Lanka being one of them.

38 The cycling events were a massive hit with the crowds, the events which started early in the morning had people thronging the streets to catch a glimpse of the action. The event also witnessed some exciting performances by street cyclists which were enjoyed by both the spectators as well as the athletes.

39 While the swimming competitions were dominated by the hosts and Sri Lanka, the performance of Mahfuza Khatum from did not go unnoticed. She won the Gold medals in 50m and 100m breaststroke events. She had won Bronze in the same competitions in the 2006 edition and Silver in 2010 edition in Dhaka.

40 ‘Tikhor’ was a hit with athletes as well. Bangladesh shooters in a candid moment with ‘Tikhor’ after the last day of shooting competitions.

41 The small contingent of put in some spirited performances especially in medals.

42 Athletes from put in their heart and soul into their performances, but could not get the number of medals as desired. Sprinter Saaid Haasan provided the silver lining in the campaign with his Silver medals in the 100m and 200m sprint events.

43 The event provided a rare opportunity for the athletes from across the border to engage with the locals. Shooters from Pakistan sharing a moment with kids outside the Shooting Range.

44 Sportsmanship transcends all competitions and it was on display during the finals between Nasir Iqbal and Farhan Zaman from Pakistan.

45 The Sri Lankans, apart from being fierce competitors on the field, provided some wonderful moments off the field as well. They cheered in full spirits for all their athletes.

46 The Sri Lankans weren’t too shy to shake a leg, as seen at the Brahmaputra Dinner Cruise organised for the athletes and officials.

47 The joy of winning the Gold for their nation was unparalleled and saw some amazing scenes

Pakistan Team after winning the Hockey Gold.

48 Indian Men’s team doing Bhangra after winning the nerve-wracking final against Pakistan.

49 Nepalese Men’s Football team celebrating their come-from- behind win in the final against the hosts.

50 Even though the hosts dominated the medal tally, some of the events were too close to call and provided a nail biting finish.

51 The tension, the emotion and the passion was visible on the faces of the officials as well, who put in their hearts and souls to support the athletes. Maz Khan is carried by Pakistan coach on his shoulders, after he won Gold in the 70kg weight category.

52 Bangladesh coach giving some last minute tips in the 3rd/4th place play off.

53 The event also provided an opportunity for the Indian Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports to share pleasantries with his Sri Lankan counterpart.

54 The Afghanistan contingent was the darling of all, thanks to their performances. Their administrators, Babar Khan and Ghulam Rabani were not far behind with their antics, putting a smile on the faces of all.

55 The Games surely inspired the youth of the cities: A young Wushu fan strikes a pose.

56 He knows where to stand for the Gold Medal.

57 BreakingBreaking thethe BarriersBarriers

58 At any Games, it’s always the performance of the ath- letes which makes the Games special. At the 12th South Asian Games, of many such performances, a few stood out and made the Games a landmark event.

59 Kavita Raut Making it to Rio

60 The 30 year old Award winner and long distance runner from Nashik has always broken barriers with her performances. She came shining through in the 10,000m track event at the Delhi where she became the first Indian athlete to win an individual track award in 50 years at the Commonwealth Games, the last being won by the legendary Milkha Singh.

The Silver medalist at 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China currently holds the national record for 10km road running.

South Asian Games was not an exception for her, looking to qualify for the Rio Olympics, the champion runner clocked a time of 2:38:38 which was better than the Rio qualification mark of 2:42:00. She also runs Eklavya Athletics & Sports Institute for training and education of budding athletes.

61 6462 BembemBembem DeviDevi TheThe torchbearertorchbearer ofof IndianIndian Women’sWomen’s FootballFootball

The fan following for Indian Women’s football might not be huge but for anyone who follows the , the name Bembem Devi definitely rings a bell. The central mid fielder from who made her debut for India at the age of 15 is arguably the greatest women’s footballer that the country has ever produced. An integral part of the Indian team for the last two decades, she led the team to South Asian Games glory in Dhaka as well as at the SAFF Championships in 2012.

An inspiration for the young and upcoming crop of Indian women footballers, Bembem Devi hung her boots in front of 23,000 spectators at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium at Shillong after leading her side to yet another Gold at the 12th South Asian Games.

63 Mathew Abeysinghe & Kimiko Raheem

Golden Swimmers from Sri Lanka

64 Sri Lanka has never been a force to reckon with on the swimming stage, but two youngsters with their phe- nomenal performances are starting to change that slowly and steadily. The 19 year old Mathew Abeysinghe and 16 year old Kimiko Raheem, set the swimming pool on fire with their record breaking performances at the 12th South Asian Games. Mathew, who comes from a swimmers’ family, won 7 Gold medals and 2 Sil- ver medals at the Games including creating four Games records. He also happens to be the first Sri Lankan swimmer ever to earn world championship qualification time standard. His brother Kyle, also picked up one Gold, two Silver and a Bronze at the Games.

Kimiko Raheem, who is youngest of the Raheem sisters, too hails from a family known for swimming. Kimiko won 5 Gold medals and one Silver medal at the Games, creating four Games records in the process. Only 16, she has already made it to the semi-finals of the 100m backstroke event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Together, Mathew and Kimiko have broken the barriers for Sri Lankan swimming and set the precedent for its bright future.

65 Rohullah Nikpai The Poster Boy of Afghanistan Taekwondo

66 For the country of Afghanistan, Rohullah Nikpai is not just an athlete, he is a National Hero and a Superstar. The only Olympic medalist from the war- torn nation is a symbol of hope for the millions living in the country. His quest for Olympic glory began at the tender age of 10, when he joined the Afghan Refugee Taekwondo team in Iran, after watching martial art movies. In 2008, he achieved a feat on which movies could be made, when he defeated two-time world champion Juan Antonio from Spain in the Bronze medal match at the Beijing Olympics in the 58 kg category, a feat which he replicated in the 68 kg category at the London Olympics.

The star from Afghanistan was the only two-time Olympic medalist who competed at the 12th South Asian Games, overcame a stiff challenge from 17 year old Indian, Naveen, in the event to win the Gold in the 68kg category of the Taekwondo event. His story, for sure, is reflected in the superlative performances of the Afghan Taekwondo athletes who emerged as the champions in the sport winning 6 Gold medals.

67 68 Khoushleem Bano, Ruksana Parveen & Sofia Javed First Female Boxers from Pakistan History was created at the 12th South Asian Games when Khoushleem Bano, Ruksana Parveen and Sofia Javed flew to India to compete in the event. They became the first female boxers from Pakistan to compete in any international event. The path to reach the boxing ring was not easy for these women, who had to battle various social taboos. However, through their grit and perseverance they were able to box out all conservative thinking and finally made it to the South Asian Games.

The performance of the boxers was also something to savour. While Khoushleem Bano was knocked out early in the flyweight category, Ruksana Parveen and Sofia Javed went on to win the Bronze in the 60kg and 75kg categories respectively. The performance of these boxers has inspired many and there is hope that their participation in the12th South Asian Games will lead to a bright future for the female boxers from Pakistan.

69 Phupu Lhamu Khatri Judo sensation from Nepal

The Nepalese Judo team arrived in Shillong with history against them because the last time Nepal won a Gold in Judo was in the 1995 edition in Madras. However, Phupu Lhamu Khatri had other ideas. The Nepalese judoka who had been training in Hungary in preparation for the Games and other judo competitions to follow, created history when she easily defeated Sunibala Devi Huidrom in the 63kg category finals.

Phupu, who lost her father in the tragic earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015, dedicated the win to her father. And if her coach is to be believed, this is just the beginning of better things to come.

70 71 SuperstarsSuperstars ofof TomorrowTomorrow

72 73 Lianna Catherine Swan Golden Girl of Pakistan Swimming

74 The 19 year old Golden girl of Pakistan Swimming who holds 7 national records and specializes in breast stroke category, started swimming only at the age of 13. However, her late start has not stopped her from creating record after record and at the South Asian Games she became the first woman from Pakistan to win a swimming Gold in an international event. She also put in an impressive performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and here’s hoping that the South Asian Games Gold is just the beginning for her.

75 Hishama Eashan The fastest man in South Asia

Photo Courtesy-

Sri Lanka`s No.01 Sports Hub

76 Sprint has not always been the forte of South Asian athletes, when it comes to the global stage. However, 20 year old Hishama Eashan of Sri Lanka, looks set to change that trend. The sprinter set a Games record by clocking an impressive time of 10:28 seconds. His coach, Chaminda Perera has already identified him as a medal prospect at international events in the future with the immediate target being the Gold at the Asian Games in 2018 with an eye on the Tokyo Games in 2020.

77 Tejaswin Shankar & The future of Indian Athletics An Indian athlete, being the best young high jumper in Asia, is something that has never happened before, but 17 year old Tejaswin Shankar has made it possible with his sheer hard work and determination. The youngster showed nerves of steel, while competing against an experienced Olympian and Asian Champion from Sri L`anka and matched his mark of 2.17m. He missed out on the Gold by committing a foul and had to settle for a Silver. He is already clearing international standard high jumps in practice sessions and is expected to bring much needed laurels for Indian athletics in the future.

78 One look at Neeraj Chopra and the last thing you would think about him is he being a Javelin thrower. The baby faced Javelin thrower at 19 years of age, is already hailed as one of the best javelin throwers the country has ever seen. One of his biggest admirers is world famous Javelin coach Garry Calvert, who thinks that he is one-in-a-generation talent. His Gold medal winning performance of 82.23m equalled the National record and was just 77cm short of the Olympic qualification mark. The throw was also 2.36m short of the best ever throw by a junior and places him at the 8th position in the best ever throw by juniors across the world. The 6 feet 90 kilogram Javelin thrower idolizes Jan Zelenzy, the three time Olympic Gold medalist from Czech Republic and wants to replicate his performances at the bigger stage.

79 Ruthvika Shivani The future of Indian Badminton

In the last few years, India has produced a number of Badminton champions and 19 year old Ruthvika Shivani Gadde seems to be on the same path. The senior National Badminton champion, who trains at the Pullela Gopichand Academy at Hyderabad, has been winning international events at the junior level and now seems all set to go to the next level. Her straight set victory over the senior and much experienced World No. 12, PV Sindhu, in the Badminton finals of the 12th South Asian Games is a proof of that. Her rise is a great sign for Indian Badminton and an assurance of continued success at the international stage.

80 81 Bidyaluxmi Tourangbam Cycling her way to Glory

82 The thrill of winning the first Gold medal for your nation at any event is exhilarating and at the 12th South Asian Games it was young cyclist Bidyalumxi Tourganbam who experienced it, by winning the Gold medal in 30km time trial events in the early hours of 6th February 2016. The young cyclist who hails from the state of Manipur also went on to win the gold in the 40km time trial team events and the 80km individual race event. Cycling as sport is fast catching up with the youth of the country and Bidyaluxmi is a fine example of that. She certainly believes that with the right equipment & training in the future the Indian Cyclists have the potential to bring laurels for the country in bigger events like the Asian Games and the Olympics.

83 NawayugNawayug Shrestha Shrestha TheThe lethallethal strikerstriker fromfrom NepalNepal

84 Nepal is a nation full of passion for football; however, in the last few years due to unfortunate circumstances the nation fared poorly in the international matches and even slipped to 196 in the football rankings. The country needed resurgence in football and the Gold medal at the 12th South Asian Games has given the country the hope of a better future in football. The man behind this resurgence is the lethal striker Nawayug Shrestha. His 7 goals, which included a hattrick against Maldives in the semi-finals and the winning goal against the hosts in the final, played a pivotal role in Nepal’s Gold medal winning performance. Living up to his name Navayug, which means “new era”, he is laying the foundations for a “new era” of Nepalese football.

85 MohammadMohammad NoohNooh DastagirDastagir ButtButt LivingLiving hishis father’sfather’s dreamdream

86 The 18 year old super heavyweight lifter from Pakistan, who took up the sport as per his father’s wish, and is working hard to realize the dream of participating in the Olympics and to bring glory to his country. If his recent Gold medal winning performances at the South Asian Games and the Commonwealth Weightlifting championships are anything to go by, he is not far away from realizing his dream. An extremely focused individual, he idolizes champion Russian weightlifter Aleksandr Kurlovich and aspires to be a World and Olympic champion just like him.

87 Nima Gharti Magar The Wushu Wonder from Nepal

Hailing from Tikathali, a small village in central Nepal with a population of just over 10,000, 16 year old Nima Gharti Magar got attracted to Nanchuan (a form of Wushu practiced with a sword) at the tender age of 12 by watching Ninja Wushu Quan practice near her house. Encouraged by her father, she took up the sport and the results were for everyone to see when she qualified for the Incheon Asian Games in 2014 at just 14. However, she could not participate due to unforeseen circumstances. Perhaps, that was the reason for her added motivation that led her to the Gold at the South Asian Games. The 16 year old Wushu wonder even skipped her SLC exams to compete in the Games and wants to continue training to win more medals at the international stage.

88 89 90 Sports Authority of India Transforming Indian Sports

The Indian Contingent at the 12th South Asian Games put up a commanding performance, winning 308 medals in total which included 188 Gold medals out of the 239 on offer. A huge credit for the same goes to the Sports Authority of India which has made a number of transformation efforts in the last few years by providing best training facilities to the athletes and upgrading the Training Centers to international standards. A testimony to the fact is that during the 12th South Asian Games, athletes supported by the Sports Authority of India, won nearly one third of the total medals won by the nation in the Games.

91 Archers Hitting the Bull’s Eye If India is today a force to reckon with at the world stage in Archery, a lot of credit must go to the Sports Authority of India. The last few years have seen the Indian archers hitting the Bull Eye at almost every prestigious event in the sport and the South Asian Games were no exception, where the Indian archers cleaned up all the Gold medals with every medal having gone to an athlete trained at the SAI Centres. These archers included the Rio bound, experienced archers L. Bombayla Devi and Laxmirani Manjhi, who train at the SAI Centre

92 of Excellence in Kolkata. The archers training at the SAI Centres also included young and upcoming archers Abhishek Verma, Rajat Chauhan & Tarundip Rai, who train at the Centre of Excellence in Sonepat and ASBC. The even younger and dynamic archer from Assam, Manash Jyoti Changmari, who aims to strike Gold at Tokyo 2020 Games, is also a product of the Sports Authority of India - Guwahati Centre.

SAI currently trains 359 archers at it various centers across the country.

93 AthleticsAthletics AA BrightBright FutureFuture

94 Athletics hasn’t always been India’s strong suit, but things are starting to change now when it comes to the performance of Indian Athletes at the world stage. The Sports Authority of India via its Centres at Bengaluru, Patiala and Trivandrum has become a breeding ground for budding talents in the field of athletics. The SAI trained athletes won 12 Gold medals at the Athletics South Asian Games and a total of 32 medals. The highlight was the performance of the young athletes like Ankit Sharma (), Ajay Kumar Saroj (1500m & 800m), Sahanakumari (High A Bright Future Jump), Mayookha Johny ( & Long Jump), Srabani Nanda (200m & 100m sprint), Jauna Murmu (400m Hurdles & 4X400m) and Ashwani Akuniji (400m Hurdles & 4X400m). While there is still a long way to go to achieve similar results at the bigger events, these athletes surely have the potential and the right training at SAI, to go to the next level. Sports Authority of India currently trains 1521 athletes in athletics at is various Centers across the country.

95 96 97 Transformation of Indian Women’s Hockey

The last two years were a time to remember for the Indian Women’s Hockey Team and have completely transformed the image of the Indian Women’s Hockey. The transformation began with the Bronze medal at the Asian Games in 2014 after a gap of 8 years and the Women’s Hockey Team reached new heights, when

98 it qualified for the Rio Olympics after a gap of 36 years. Due credit must also be given to the Sports Authority of India which has been continuously producing Women’s Hockey athletes and has laid the foundation for transformation. The Centers at Ranchi, Bhopal and Hissar have been instrumental for the same. The Gold Medal winning team at South Asian Games comprised of 9 players who are the products of these Centres. The likes of Sonal Minz, Sonika, Vandana Kataria, Shushila Chanu, Deep Grace Ekka, Renuka Yadav, Sondarya and Rajni now form the crux of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team.

SAI currently trains a total of 1323 hockey athletes including 429 women in its various centers across the country.

99 100 101 Boxers Par Excellence

In the past decade the country has produced a number of boxers par excellence who have brought laurels for the nation at all the ma- jor competitions in the sport. The journey of ace boxers Mary Kom and Sarita Devi started at the SAI Centre of Excellence in Imphal in the early 2000s and they have not looked back since then. Even the youngest Indian boxer ever to make it to the Olympics, Shiva Thapa, learnt the nuances of the sport while training at the Sports Authority of India Training Centre in Guwahati. The other upcoming boxers Devendro Singh, Vikas Krishan and Dheeraj Rangi - who recently won a Silver medal at the World Military Games, are also products of SAI. All these boxers won Gold medals at their respective weight categories at the South Asian Games and examined their prepara- tion for the upcoming Olympics in Rio. SAI currently trains 964 boxers across various centers in the country.

102 103 104 105 Supporting & Nurturing Talent in Every Sport

106 The performance of the SAI trainees across all the sports is a testimony to the fact that the institution is adopting a 360 degree approach to provide athletes of every sport the right infrastructure and training required to enable them to reach their maximum potential. SAI trainees from 13 sports, won medals for the country at the South Asian Games. These sports included athletics, archery, cycling, handball, hockey, judo, , swimming, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, and wushu. Many of these medal winners were young budding athletes who are just starting their sporting careers. The list of these achievers is long but performances of athletes like Pooja & Sushila Devi (Judo), Margaret Maria Regi (Taekwondo), Saraswati Raut (Volleyball), Pradeep, Mamta, Shilpi and Gopal Yadav (Wrestling); and Sanathoi Devi, K Arunpama, Sapana Devi and M Punshiba Singh (Wushu); definitely augers well for Indian sports.

SAI currently is home of training for 11,773 athletes across 39 sports disciplines to nurture the future of Indian sports in the best possible manner.

107 Discipline-wise Summary of SAI Sports Promotional Schemes Trainees - 2015-2016

NSTC SN Disciplines Reg. Schools IGMA ABSC STC SAG Ext. Centres COE SAI NSA TOTAL B G B G B G B G B G B G B G B G B G B G 1 Archery 0 0 2 4 0 0 59 0 83 56 72 31 23 5 9 15 0 0 248 111 359 2 Athletics 12 34 0 0 0 0 164 0 473 289 77 84 119 126 61 62 12 8 918 603 1521 3 Badminton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41 14 18 3 29 23 0 0 0 0 88 40 128 4 47 8 0 0 0 0 56 0 133 59 16 47 52 64 0 0 0 0 304 178 482 5 Boxing 0 0 0 0 0 0 190 0 308 163 128 74 50 19 15 17 0 0 691 273 964 6 Cycling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 66 11 2 1 0 0 1 1 16 10 85 23 108 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 13 8 Equestrian 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 0 24 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 0 41 28 17 37 0 0 4 4 0 0 83 69 152 10 Football 85 7 0 0 0 0 150 0 466 30 167 68 146 0 0 0 0 0 1014 105 1119 11 0 0 16 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 4 20 12 Gymnastics 32 21 0 0 0 0 46 0 78 42 28 19 9 10 7 2 0 0 200 94 294 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 6 14 6 20 14 Handball 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 0 258 86 19 0 56 49 0 0 0 0 358 135 493 15 Hockey 85 11 0 0 0 0 117 0 526 250 50 59 116 109 0 0 0 0 894 429 1323 16 Judo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 171 45 42 48 44 5 14 15 0 0 271 113 384 17 Kabaddi 0 0 0 22 0 0 0 0 254 179 18 14 17 5 33 0 0 0 322 220 542 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 64 22 32 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 96 53 149 19 Kalaripayatu 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 Kayaking & 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 0 18 11 41 28 0 0 13 18 0 0 104 57 161 Canoeing

108 21 Kho-Kho 0 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 11 0 0 7 9 0 0 0 0 18 39 57 22 Khomlainai 0 0 11 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 1 12 23 Lawn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 24 Malkhamb 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 5 25 Mukna 0 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 0 16 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 35 0 0 0 25 34 0 0 0 11 0 0 60 45 105 27 Sailing 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 18 28 Sepak- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 60 42 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 70 42 112 takraw 29 Shooting 0 0 0 0 0 0 62 0 9 7 8 1 30 2 0 0 0 0 109 10 119 30 0 0 17 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 21 38 31 Softball 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 8 26 32 Swimming 32 23 0 0 0 0 49 0 81 35 38 21 17 7 1 0 17 13 235 99 334 33 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 53 50 5 0 29 20 0 0 0 0 94 71 165 34 Taekwondo 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 199 73 71 45 14 7 12 9 0 0 308 134 442 35 Thang-Ta 0 0 12 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 17 29 36 Volleyball 20 0 0 0 0 0 29 0 262 128 47 52 64 40 0 5 0 0 422 225 647 37 Weightlifting 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 0 35 46 62 54 17 0 4 7 0 0 144 107 251 38 Wrestling 3 0 0 0 444 59 73 0 131 15 27 33 86 5 43 7 0 0 807 119 926 39 Wushu 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 54 31 35 23 28 7 18 18 0 0 135 79 214 323 124 79 69 444 59 1201 0 3894 1731 1055 807 953 512 235 191 59 37 8243 3530 11773 447 148 503 1201 5625 1862 1465 426 96 11773

109 TheThe GamesGames ExperienceExperience

The Games provided opportunities for everyone in- volved, the states via participation now have improved infrastructure, the workforce & volunteers now have the experience of a lifetime under their belts and the spon- sors got unprecedented visibility.

110 111 What hosting the Games meant for Assam & Meghalaya?

Hosting the Games brought about a lot of positives for the states of Assam and Meghalaya. Not only are the states popular tourist destinations, but also destinations to host major sports events in the future. The ambition is highlighted by the aim of the city of Shillong to host the National Games in 2022.

The cities, boasting of upgraded and international standard sports infrastructure, will now be utilized for training of young budding athletes in the region, who will bring laurels to the Nation in the future.

112 The Games also benefitted the local economies of both the cities, during the procurement process it was an endeavour of the Organising Committee to ensure that the eligibility criteria for the tenders were attractive for the local vendors as well. As a result, all the vendors worked as partners for the successful delivery of the Games.

Multi-sport events have pre-dominantly been held in major cities only, however, the cities of Guwahati & Shillong have broken the trend and set a new benchmark demonstrating that upcoming and tier-II cities with adequate infrastructure are perfectly capable of hosting such events. In fact, such events provide them the ideal opportunity to showcase their potential on the world stage.

113 BeingBeing thethe WorkforceWorkforce

114 The successful conduct of the Games was due to the tireless efforts of a staff of 469 that worked in the Games Secretariat. Not only did this event of national pride provide them with an opportunity to gain valuable professional experience, but also enabled them to forge friendships of a lifetime.

115 TheThe VolunteerVolunteer ExperienceExperience

116 “I felt very good working as a volunteer. I worked as Liaison Officer with the Sri Lankan Athletics team. The players were very happy with me as I supported and helped them as much as I could. Working as a volunteer, it was a good experience for me in my career. I would like to work more and more for such events. Lastly, before the team was ready to go back, they gave me many gifts. They also invited me to visit their country. All the members keep contact with me and they are missing me and Assam and the feeling is mutual. I will be visiting Sri Lanka as soon as I get the opportunity” – Arunim Bora, Volunteer - SAG 2016.

117 Being a Sponsor

The event provided a great platform for brands to connect with the audience and project themselves on the global stage. The sponsors were provided visibility in all forms of city and venue branding. A number of seats for each event were reserved for the sponsors. The event had a footfall of nearly 5,00,000 and the sponsors were IOCL, NHPC, ONGC, Oil India, GAIL, Tea Board India, Assam Orthodox Tea, NRL, NEEPCO and BCPL.

118 119 120 Ei Prithibi TheEk worldKrirangan is a (Theplayground... world is a playground...)

This world is a playground, And the game is a peace compound.

A playground where youth today is enlightened Unhealthy laziness is abated Life motion becomes work oriented.

Here, there is no rule of separation Sports is not just to play and enjoy, It is not only competition. Players worship unity and immerse in joy.

Universally, wise thoughts have no value, there is anxiety Sports help to establish a healthy, affluent community A disciplined sportsperson always preserves the light of infinity Play for Peace, Progress and Prosperity ! www.chiranjn.com