New Delhi: There are two things for which demand never fades in the Northeast — fashion and football. Football is a way of life here, and players as well as supporters have always had a massive role even off the playground.
Members of several football fan clubs in Meghalaya have come together over the past few months to help people, especially in the rural pockets, as the Covid-19 pandemic rages on.
Shillong Chelsea FC, a fan group of the UK-based Chelsea FC, recently helped six families in Upper Shillong’s Nongkseh village whose houses were burnt in a fire.
Members of the club said they created a poster on social media platforms inviting other supporters, including those who were not in the group, to join in and help the families. In just three days, they managed to collect around Rs 18,000.
Similarly, Shillong Barca FC, a fan base of the Spanish professional club FC Barcelona, helped a family in Khrang village in East Khasi Hills. The group collected Rs 50,000 within a week for the family.
For members of the Shillong Man United FC, a fan club of the English club Manchester United FC, there was no greater feeling than the “sense of fulfillment” they experienced after providing financial aid to a group of orphaned children in the state’s Khrang village.
“Our members were and still are actively in touch with the orphans,” a member said.
4,000 children from 17 districts of Assam prepare ‘Children’s Manifesto’
4,000 children from 17 districts of Assam prepared a Children’s Manifesto and presented it before the media Friday, on the occasion of World Children’s Day. The manifesto puts forward their issues and recommendations for a “child-friendly state”, before Assam goes to polls next year.
The manifesto will be given to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, speaker of the state Legislative Assembly, leader of the Opposition and leaders of different political parties.
16-year-old Kuldeep Narayan Borah from Majuli, said: “Through this manifesto, we present our recommendations to political parties who are preparing their respective manifestoes for the upcoming elections.”
The effort is part of a campaign called NINEISMINE by PRATYeK, a Delhi-based NGO. The manifesto talks about protection of children from violence, access to affordable healthcare and nutritious food, no caste-based or gender-based discrimination, and affordable education.
‘Electric mushrooms’ found in Meghalaya’s forests
A fungal foray conducted by a group of scientists from Balipara Foundation and Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in the forests of Meghalaya has led to the discovery of an extremely bright, luminous mushroom that glows in the dark.
The team was accompanied by internationally-acclaimed photographer Steve Axford and videographer Catherine Marciniak.
The mushrooms were found growing on dead bamboo stems in the East Khasi and West Jaintia Hills of the state. There are only 97 species of known bioluminescent fungi in the world and these are used in medicine, agriculture and as ecological environment sensors.
Gautam Baruah from the Balipara Foundation said, “Based on the information we received from locals in Meghalaya, about a mushroom that glows at night, called as ‘electric mushroom’ by the locals, we did multiple nights scouting in the forests of Meghalaya.”
“This new species Roridomyces phyllostachydis is very unique, compared to other species in the genus since only the stipe of the mushroom is bioluminescent. Why only the stipe is bioluminescent in this mushroom is still a mystery,” said Samantha Karunarathna, lead mycologist from the Kunming Institute of Botany.
‘Khangchendzonga Shield’ — Sikkim’s first-ever women cricket tournament
Sikkim’s first-ever women’s cricket tournament, called ‘Khangchendzonga Shield’, was held at the Mining Ground in the state’s Rangpo town last week.
The first match was played between Mount Sinolchu and Mount Pandim on 11 November and the finals were held Saturday (21 November).
Two premier officials of the BCCI, Ashish Bhowmick (BCCI chief curator) and Atul Gaikwad (England Cricket Board and BCCI certified master coach) were in the state to monitor the pitch, and coaching of the teams.
The 15-day-long tournament of the Sikkim Cricket Association was inaugurated by the state Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Kunga Nima Lepcha at Reshithang Sports Complex Ground.
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