GUWAHATI, Sept 19 � The 21st edition of the Senior National Sepak Takraw Championship got off at the Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium here.
Teams from 23 States took part in the inaugural function while two more will arrive tomorrow.
The championship was formally inaugurated by MLA and former minister Sarat Borkotoky, who is also the president of the Assam Sepak Takraw Association. President of Sepak Takraw Federation of India RS Daggar, secretary Salim Baig, MLA Robin Bordoloi and Anup Phukan, DG, Sports Authority of Assam Pradip Hazarika, eminent sportspersons Pulin Das, Suren Ram Phookan, Nripendra Narayan Singha, Premadhar Sharma, Director of Sports Sanjib Gohain Baruah were present in the opening ceremony as guests. Organising secretary Bishnu Ram Nunisa welcomed the gathering and participants.
On the opening day, till the filing of this report, in team event, SSB men�s team upset defending champions Manipur 2-0 (22-20, 17-21, 15-13, 21-15, 21-13), Mizoram beat Haryana 2-0 (21-14, 21-15, 21-16, 21-10), Andhra Pradesh beat Punjab 2-0 (21-3, 21-6, 21-7, 21-7) and Assam beat Haryana 2-0 (19-21, 21-13, 15-6, 21-16, 21-10). In women�s team event, Nagaland beat Assam 2-1 (19-21, 15-21, 22-20, 20-22, 15-12, 21-18, 21-15), Manipur and Maharashtra got walkover against Andhra Pradesh and SAI respectively.
