Shillong, March 27: Setting a landmark in water sports in Meghalaya, the first edition of the Indian Sailing League (ISL) began at Umiam Water Sports Complex (Orchid Lake Resort) on Friday.
The international scale and competitive stature of the event are evident with the participation of 14 teams with 182 players, including 58 international sailors from 8 countries.
Being held from March 27 to 31, the league is organised by the state Tourism department in collaboration with Umiam Sailing Club and United De Novo Association of Yachting.
Inaugurating the event, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma described the Indian Sailing League as part of a long-term vision to unlock the full potential of Umiam and position Meghalaya as a leading destination for tourism and international events.
Reflecting on earlier visits to the site, he noted that its potential had long been underutilised and emphasised the government’s efforts to transform it through planned development.
“This initiative has been in the making for a long time… we realised that the immense potential of this area was being underutilised. We therefore made a conscious decision to develop it in a manner that would unlock its full potential,” he said.
He acknowledged the contributions of Lt. Col. Alok Yadav and his team, along with Cyril VD Diengdoh and supporting agencies, in making the league a reality.
