CHUMOUKEDIMA, July 9: Special Olympics Nagaland, in collaboration with the Development Association of Nagaland (DAN) and the Lions Club, organized the Unified Competition 2026 at the DAN campus, Carmel Higher Secondary School, Chekiye Village, Chümoukedima, on July 9.
The event brought together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to promote inclusion through sports, teamwork, confidence, physical fitness, and social interaction. Competitions were held in athletics, football, basketball, badminton, and bocce, while a Healthy Athletes programme, supported by Grace Nursing and Health Science Institute, Dimapur, provided basic health screenings and wellness guidance.
Organisers said the championship marks the beginning of a two-year Special Olympics initiative supported by the Lions Club for the northeastern states. The programme includes coach training, followed by district, state, regional, and national competitions to strengthen opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across the region.
They also highlighted that Special Olympics is active in more than 190 countries and that India continues to excel internationally, with its athletes participating in several global sporting events this year and preparations underway for the 2027 Special Olympics World Games in Santiago, Chile.
