By Prarthana Hazarika
Shillong, Sept 19: Meghalaya’s four-bronze-medal finish at the Northeast Zone Inter-State Badminton Championships 2026 in Shillong has provided more than just a rewarding result for the state’s shuttlers. It has offered a timely morale boost to a team preparing for a much bigger challenge — the National Games 2027, which Meghalaya will host.
For the Meghalaya Badminton Association (MBA), the achievement is particularly encouraging given the relatively short duration of its ongoing coaching programme. With the state having commenced its coaching camp in May this year, the four-medal haul has strengthened the belief that sustained preparation could help Meghalaya emerge as a podium contender at the National Games.
Speaking exclusively to The Meghalayan Express, MBA Secretary Rajesh Kamal Rajput described the performance as a significant milestone and stressed that the results have reinforced the importance of continuing the training programme in the months ahead.
“It is great news for Meghalaya having won four bronze medals in the NEZ Inter-State Badminton Championship 2026 at Shillong. It really gives a morale boost for the further preparation of the team for the National Games,” Rajput said.
The Northeast Zone championship, held in Shillong from September 16 to 19, brought together teams from across the region, providing Meghalaya’s players with an important opportunity to test themselves against quality opposition.
The four bronze medals have now given the state’s badminton contingent a tangible return on its early preparations, while also offering the association a clearer indication of the potential within its squad.
Rajput pointed out that the achievement has come after only around three-and-a-half months of training under the coaching camp initiated in May 2026.
“We have started our coaching camp in May 2026. With only three-and-a-half months of training, we could achieve this milestone,” he said.
For a state looking to make its presence felt across disciplines at the National Games, the timing of this performance is significant. The Northeast championship has provided an early competitive benchmark for Meghalaya badminton, with the association now focused on building upon the progress made so far.
The bigger challenge, however, lies in sustaining the momentum.
Rajput believes that continuity in training until the National Games could make a considerable difference to the team’s prospects. Rather than treating the four bronze medals as a final destination, the association views the performance as a foundation upon which further progress can be built.
“If we could continue the camp further till the NG 2027, there could be a possibility that we would be able to come up to the podium finish in NG 2027,” Rajput said.
His assessment underlines a crucial aspect of Meghalaya’s preparations: the need for a sustained coaching programme that allows players to develop consistency, sharpen their competitive skills and gain the confidence required to perform at the national level.
The National Games will present a different level of competition, but Meghalaya’s performance in Shillong has given the association reason to approach the coming months with optimism.
With the state preparing to host the country’s premier multi-sport event in 2027, the expectations surrounding its athletes will naturally rise. For badminton, the immediate priority will be to translate the encouraging regional performance into consistent progress through continued training and competitive exposure.
The four bronze medals may not yet represent the ultimate ambition of Meghalaya badminton, but they have given the state’s shuttlers an encouraging starting point.
For Rajput and the Meghalaya Badminton Association, the message is clear: the progress made in three-and-a-half months must now be carried forward.
If the coaching camp continues as planned and the players build on their Northeast championship performance, Meghalaya will have an opportunity to turn its early promise into a serious challenge for a National Games podium finish on home soil in 2027.
