ITANAGAR, Oct 9: Traditional games competitions were organised in Keyi Panyor, Tawang and Upper Siang districts on Friday as part of Seva Sankalp Utsav 2026, with the objective of preserving and promoting indigenous sporting traditions and encouraging younger generations to reconnect with the cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh.

The competitions featured traditional games such as bamboo archery, bamboo climbing, bamboo pole running, Gulli Danda and tug of war, providing a platform for local youths to showcase their skills while promoting teamwork, discipline, camaraderie and sportsmanship.

The month-long Seva Sankalp Utsav, being observed from September 17 to October 17, marks 25 years of public service by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seeks to promote the spirit of public service, dedication and nation-building.

In Keyi Panyor district, the district administration organised the district-level traditional games competition at the General Ground in Yachuli. Deputy Commissioner Ankita Mishra, Zilla Parishad Chairperson Nabam Piju, Superintendent of Police Dr Akanksha Milind Tamgadge and Assistant Commissioner-cum-District Sports Officer (in-charge) Dr Mumne Borang attended the programme, along with heads of departments, Zilla Parishad members, players and match officials.

Addressing the participants, Mishra expressed concern over the growing preference for modern sports, while traditional games risk fading from public memory. She said the initiative under Seva Sankalp Utsav was an effort to revive and promote the country's traditional sporting heritage.

Emphasising that sports instil discipline, teamwork and a spirit of healthy competition, she encouraged participants to perform well at the state-level competition and bring recognition to the district.

Piju recalled how traditional games such as Gulli Danda were once an integral part of everyday life. Appreciating the initiative, she urged the state government to make the competition a regular event to ensure the sustained preservation and promotion of indigenous games. She also assured support to the winning participants and encouraged them to excel at the state level.

The competitions in Keyi Panyor included archery, bamboo climbing, bamboo race, Gulli Danda and men's and women's tug of war. Joram Ade of Yachuli Zilla won the archery event, while Neelam Bath of Deed Zilla secured the bamboo-climbing title.

In bamboo racing, Raban Pangta of Yachuli secured first position, followed by Taba Lej of Yazali and Khoda Tada of Deed. In Gulli Danda, Licha Taja of Yazali emerged first, followed by Jummar Karbak of Pitapool and Joram Lej of Yachuli.

Deed won the women's tug of war, with Yachuli finishing second. In the men's category, Pitapool secured first position, followed by Yazali and Yachuli.

During the event, the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM), Keyi Panyor, also set up an information kiosk and distributed information, education and communication materials on free skill-development training programmes under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), aimed at informing eligible youths about employment-oriented training opportunities.

In Tawang, MLA Namgey Tsering inaugurated the traditional sports competitions at the Festival Ground, Mentsem-Tse. Organised by the District Sports Office, the event saw participation from different blocks of the district and featured six indigenous games — tug of war, bamboo archery, Gulli Danda, bamboo climbing, Dali Haka Hinam and bamboo pole running.

Addressing the gathering, Tsering appreciated the organisers for providing young people with an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and qualify to represent the district at the state-level competition. He said such initiatives were important for preserving indigenous traditions while fostering confidence, discipline and healthy competition among the youth.

Calling for collective efforts towards the development of the nation, the MLA urged people to uphold peace, harmony and brotherhood and adhere to the principle of “Nation First”. He also highlighted the responsibility of residents of the strategically important border district in contributing to national unity, security and development.

The competitions are being held constituency-wise, with winners progressing to the state-level events. 

Meanwhile, the district administration of Upper Siang organised the Rangoli Traditional Sports Competition at the General Ground in Yingkiong. Youths from Zilla Parishad constituencies under the 34-Tuting-Yingkiong and 40-Mariyang-Geku Assembly constituencies participated in tug of war, bamboo archery, Gulli Danda (Tang Guti), bamboo pole climbing, Dali Haka Hinam and bamboo stick running.

ZPC Api Kombo attended as the chief guest, while Everester Kishon Tekseng was the guest of honour. Addressing the participants, Kombo encouraged them to compete with team spirit, discipline and sportsmanship, emphasising that traditional sporting events help foster unity among youths and sustain indigenous practices.

Tekseng said such competitions were important for reconnecting younger generations with traditional games that are gradually disappearing from public memory. He stressed that reviving these activities would help preserve the cultural roots of the state and pass them on to future generations.

Cash prizes were distributed to the winners by the dignitaries and other officials. Assistant Commissioner-cum-District Sports Officer (in-charge) Binti Mibang oversaw the conduct of the event. (Source: EoA)