Mokokchung, 3rd September 2026 (Nokinketer News): The Nagaland Judo Association (NJA) will organise the inaugural Nagaland State Judo Championship from September 10 to 12 at Eden Academy, Mokokchung, bringing together nearly 300 judokas from across the state.
Announcing the championship at a press conference at Eden Academy on Thursday, NJA president I. Temsü Jamir said the event would provide a competitive platform for young athletes while strengthening the sport’s development in Nagaland.
NJA general secretary and tournament director Somnath Chakraborty said around 300 athletes across different age groups and weight categories have registered for the three-day championship.
Founded in 2019, the Nagaland Judo Association was established to promote and develop judo in the state by creating opportunities for young athletes to train and compete at different levels.
“Our objective is to identify talented athletes, provide competitive exposure, encourage district-level participation, promote women’s participation in judo and create a stronger pathway for athletes aspiring to compete at the national and higher levels,” Jamir said. He added that the association was also pursuing affiliation with the Judo Federation of India.
Jamir said the association envisioned building a sustainable judo ecosystem in Nagaland, beginning with grassroots training and extending to district, state and national-level competitions.
“We want more young people, especially girls, to take up judo and ultimately see Nagaland athletes competing successfully at the national and international levels,” he said.
Appealing to participants, Jamir said discipline and sportsmanship should remain central to the competition. “Winning a medal is important, but gaining experience, learning from competition and developing the right sporting attitude are equally important,” he said.
Since its inception, the association has conducted coaching camps, grading examinations, selection trials and competitions while expanding the sport beyond a single training centre and encouraging participation from different districts.
Among its milestones was the state’s first women-exclusive judo tournament, organised in Mokokchung in 2023 under the Khelo India Dus Ka Dum initiative with the theme Empowering Women through Sports.
In November 2025, the association conducted an open selection trial for the Sub-Junior National Judo Championship under the supervision of the Judo Federation of India, with an official observer overseeing the process before the state team was selected.
The association also participated in the Northeast Japan Caravan programme in 2026, where Nagaland judokas staged a judo demonstration at the State Academy Hall in Kohima.
Earlier this week, two girl judokas from Nagaland represented the state at the Kendriya Vidyalaya National Judo Championship held in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, from August 29 to 31. The participation provided the athletes with exposure to national-level competition alongside judokas from across the country.
The association said it would continue focusing on establishing training centres, developing coaches and technical officials, promoting women’s participation and creating opportunities for Nagaland’s judokas to compete at state, national levels and beyond.
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