Nagaland Hosts Mithun-Rhino Pickleball Championship to Bridge Ties With Assam

Vilasier Khate of Nagaland claimed the winner's title at the inaugural Mithun-Rhino Pickleball Championship, a two-day inter-state tournament held at The Fitness House (TFH) in Dimapur on March 14-15, 2026, as Team Nagaland defeated Team Assam in what organisers framed as a sports-diplomacy effort as much as a sporting contest.

The championship, organised by the Nagaland Pickleball Association in affiliation with the Indian Pickleball Association, marked Nagaland's first major inter-state pickleball competition. Megotsolie Khate of Assam finished as runner-up in the individual event.

The veterans categories produced their own storylines. Abu Metha of Nagaland took home two titles across a single weekend: partnering with Vikho Khate to win the Veterans Doubles 40+ over Kenei Miachieo and Lhouvi Punyu of Assam, then teaming with Miachieo himself to win the Veterans Doubles 45+, defeating Assam's Rohan Abraham and Ringo Odyuo. That second pairing was particularly notable given Miachieo had been on the losing side of the 40+ final hours earlier.

The championship's stated purpose reached beyond the court. Organisers said the event was created to bring together athletes from neighbouring states and promote the rapidly growing sport of pickleball among young players in the region. The inaugural championship was also aimed at strengthening bonds of goodwill and mutual respect between Nagaland and Assam, with organisers describing the shared sporting platform as a vehicle to encourage collaboration, build friendships and foster positive engagement among people in the Northeast.

With pickleball continuing to grow across India, organisers believe such inter-state competitions could play a key role in promoting regional harmony while also nurturing the next generation of players in the Northeast. Whether the Mithun-Rhino Championship becomes an annual fixture on the regional calendar is a question the Nagaland Pickleball Association has yet to answer publicly, but as inaugural editions go, this one set a clear standard for what the sport can do beyond the baseline.