Meghalaya Revives Khasi Heritage with Mawpoin Championship to Inspire Youth

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SHILLONG: Meghalaya is stepping up efforts to preserve and promote Mawpoin, a traditional indigenous team sport rooted in Khasi culture, among younger generations. The first Inter-School and Inter-College Mawpoin Championship 2026, which concluded at Madan Heh Stadium in Mawlai Phudmuri on Thursday, brought together 79 educational institutions from East Khasi Hills district.

Addressing the gathering at the closing ceremony, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal stressed the need to strengthen cultural roots and revive indigenous sporting traditions.

"Any community gets its strength from the strength of its roots. Mawpoin, which is an intricate part of the Khasi tradition, is something that is part of the root which needs to be strengthened and revived so as to cultivate a collective sense of pride and joy in owning the identity that you belong to," he said.

Mawpoin (Mawpoiñ) is an integral part of Khasi sporting heritage. Baranwal also emphasised the importance of making the sport commercially successful to ensure its long-term sustainability. He highlighted the Meghalaya government's efforts to revive traditional art forms and underlined the role of community-led initiatives in encouraging people, particularly younger generations, to reconnect with their cultural roots through sustainable means.

The championship began on October 12 and was organised by Seng Samla Seng Khasi Kmie, Mawkhar, Shillong, with support from the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya. The four-day event provided a platform for students from schools and colleges across East Khasi Hills to participate in traditional sporting activities and develop greater awareness of the state's indigenous sporting and cultural heritage.

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