Curtain raiser for 2nd North East Olympic Games held in Meghalaya

As Meghalaya gears up to host the 2nd edition of the North East Olympic Games, a curtain raiser was held in Shillong on Monday, during which the official games Logo and Mascot were unveiled by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.

It may be worth mentioning here that the official games logo is driven by solidarity and is shaped similarly to the map of the North Eastern region.

Neo or the North East Olympic Games mascot is inspired by the clouded leopard, the state animal of Meghalaya which is also a vulnerable species. The attire worn by Neo is a fusion of the culture of the prominent tribes of Meghalaya.

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Speaking at the occasion, CM Sangma said that the youth of the state were “second to none”.

“Engagement of the youth through sports is very important so that we are able to produce young and talented as well as responsible citizens for our state,” the CM said.

He also said that to win a medal, the sportspersons had to be identified and trained early on. “Celebrated and successful sportspersons who bring medals and laurels are not made in a day. It takes years of training, mentoring, discipline, and hard work,” the CM said.

Meanwhile, Neo, the official mascot of the games, was modeled after the Clouded Leopard, which is a vulnerable species and the state animal of Meghalaya. The clothing that “Neo” wears is a fusion of the prominent tribes of Meghalaya.

It needs to be mentioned here that more than 3000 athletes will compete across 18 sports disciplines during the games, which will take place in Shillong starting from November 10 and conclude on November 16.

Meanwhile, the 12 athletes from the state who will be participating in the 36^th National Games in Gujarat were also felicitated and accorded a warm send-off.

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