Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 congratulated the winners and participants of the Hangpan Dada Memorial Trophy, calling the tournament's conclusion a fitting tribute to Ashok Chakra awardee Hangpan Dada. The multi-sport event, hosted by the District Administration of West Siang, saw athletes from across the state compete in football and volleyball.

Context

In his post, CM Khandu extended congratulations to football champions Papum Pare and East Kameng districts, and volleyball champions Kurung Kumey and Capital Complex. He praised the 'spirit and determination' shown by young athletes and acknowledged the coordinated efforts of the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, the Indian Army, and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in making the tournament a success.

Hangpan Dada was an Arunachali soldier posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra — India's highest peacetime gallantry honour — for his actions during counter-insurgency operations in 2016. The memorial trophy was instituted after 2017 to honour his sacrifice through annual youth sporting competitions.

Policy Backdrop

The tournament reflects a sustained pattern of civil-military collaboration in Arunachal Pradesh, where the Indian Army and ITBP partner with the state's sports department to organise district-level events in remote and border areas. Such initiatives serve a dual purpose: commemorating local martyrs and channelling youth energies into structured, competitive sport.

This model has been replicated across several Northeast Indian states, combining tribute with grassroots sports development. For a state with significant stretches of difficult terrain and limited urban sporting infrastructure, events like the Hangpan Dada Memorial Trophy provide a rare competitive platform for athletes from districts such as West Siang, Kurung Kumey, and East Kameng.

Stakeholders and Impact

Young athletes from border and interior districts are the primary beneficiaries, gaining access to organised competition that would otherwise require travel to larger urban centres. The involvement of the Indian Army and ITBP also strengthens community ties between security forces and local populations in strategically sensitive border districts.

For the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, the tournament represents a flagship grassroots programme that links state policy on youth engagement with the legacy of local military heroes. District administrations gain visibility and institutional capacity through the logistical exercise of hosting a multi-sport event.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs announces dates and a host district for the next edition of the trophy, and whether additional sports disciplines or new districts will be incorporated into the competition calendar. CM Khandu's public acknowledgement of this edition signals continued political backing for the event at the highest level of state government.

The success of this edition could also inform similar memorial-sports initiatives for other gallantry awardees from the Northeast, deepening the region's tradition of honouring its military heroes through youth-focused programmes.