LONGDING, Jun 29: The first edition of “Agoi Wangsa Memorial Inter-Village Football Tournament” was conducted with great enthusiasm and patriotic fervour from June 16 to 29 in Longding district, with Niausa FC emerging as the winner beating Pongchau FC in the final played today.
Besides the trophy, the winners received a certificate and cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and the runners-up team got a trophy, certificate along with cash prize of Rs 50,000.
In individual awards, Longhi Wangsa of Pongchau FC became the best player of the tournament, Palai Wangpan of Pumao FC was adjudged the highest scorer of the tournament with a tally of 10 goals, while the best goalkeeper title went to Chemkai Poiham of Niausa FC.
The tournament, which was instituted to honour the supreme sacrifice and indomitable courage of Shaheed Agoi Wangsa, who was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously for his gallantry, was inaugurated by Longding Deputy Commissioner Kunal Yadav, in presence of Longding Superintendent of Police Dekio Gumza and a host of other key figures.
As many as 33 football teams from different villages under Longding district took part in the tournament, which aimed to perpetuate the braveheart’s memory by fostering unity, discipline, and sportsmanship among the youth of the region.
The closing ceremony-cum-final was presided over by local MLA-cum-State NPA president Thangwang Wangham as chief guest, while Longding DC Kunal Yadav attended as a special guest.
In his valedictory address, the MLA lauded the Organizing Committee for conceptualizing and executing a tournament of such magnitude in memory of Agoi Wangsa, Shaurya Chakra. He observed that the event had successfully united the youth of the district and provided a platform to showcase local sporting talent. He further reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting sports infrastructure and youth development in border districts.