Mizoram’s ace paddler Jeho Himnakulhpuingheta once again stamped his authority on Northeast table tennis by clinching his fourth men’s singles title at the 5th Toyota NIAPA Northeast Open Table Tennis Tournament, which concluded at the NIAPA Mini Stadium, Chümoukedima, on Sunday.
On the fourth and final day of competition, Jeho overcame a stiff challenge from Assam’s Agniv Bhaskar Gohain to win the men’s singles final 4–2. Though Agniv fought hard, Jeho’s calmness and experience in key moments proved decisive. The defeat marked Agniv’s third consecutive runners-up finish in the championship. Manipur’s Khelendrajit Yengkhom and Mizoram’s Alberto LR Ruata settled for joint third place. The men’s singles event carried prize money of Rs. 25,000 for the champion, Rs. 15,000 for the runner-up and Rs. 5,000 each for the semifinalists.
The women’s singles final witnessed a thrilling contest as Assam’s young paddler Bhavna Kashyap made a memorable NIAPA debut by edging out defending champion Trisha Gogoi 4–3. Bhavna’s victory saw her dethrone the top-ranked Assam player and claim her maiden title in Nagaland. Mizoram’s Moumita Saha and Assam’s Anushna Das finished as semifinalists. The prize money in the women’s singles category stood at Rs. 20,000, Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 4,000 respectively.
In the men’s doubles, Mizoram’s Jeho Himnakulhpuingheta and Alberto LR Ruata successfully defended their title, defeating the Assam duo of Agniv Bhaskar Gohain and Shankab Gautam Baruah in the final. Mizoram’s Laishram Bikram Singh and Meisnam Basantakumar Singh, along with Manipur’s Khelendrajit Yengkhom and Ning Thoujam Colman Singh, finished as semifinalists. The event offered prize money of Rs. 30,000, Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 5,000.
Assam’s Shankab Gautam Baruah and Trisha Gogoi emerged champions in the mixed doubles, while Agniv Bhaskar Gohain and Bhavna Kashyap finished second. Vivek and Anushna Das of Assam, along with Mizoram’s Jeho Himnakulhpuingheta and Malsawmtluangi, shared the semifinal spots. The mixed doubles prize money was Rs. 30,000, Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 5,000.
In the Best Duo of Nagaland category, Kanishk Jain and Hekito Sema claimed the top honours. Visasier Kevichusa and L. David secured second place, while Yangro Imchen and Achamo Ngullie, along with Moa Lemtur and Juthsutho Phoji, finished as semifinalists. The category carried prize money of Rs. 15,000, Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 4,000.
Bhavna Kashyap further underlined her fine form by winning the under-21 girls’ singles title, with Anushna Das finishing runner-up. Angkita Sanjenbam of Manipur and Sreyashi Chakraborty of Tripura ended their campaigns as semifinalists. The prize money stood at Rs. 10,000, Rs. 7,000 and Rs. 3,000.
In the under-21 boys’ singles, Manipur’s Khelendrajit Yengkhom emerged champion, while Ning Thoujam Colman Singh took second place. Abhijit Deb of Tripura and Lalruatfela Rate of Mizoram finished joint third. The category offered prize money of Rs. 15,000, Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 4,000.
The closing ceremony was attended by Polan John, Deputy Commissioner and District Sports Council, Chümoukedima, as the special guest, who distributed the prizes to the winners. Organised by NIAPA, the tournament once again reaffirmed its status as a major platform for nurturing and showcasing table tennis talent from across the Northeast, concluding successfully on Sunday evening.
