Shillong, April 6: Meghalaya successfully hosted the 4th North East Regatta 2026, concluding with a closing ceremony at the Water Sports Complex, Umiam. The event, organised by the Yachting Association of India (YAI) in association with the Umiam Sailing Club and supported by the Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, featured over 100 sailors competing across five days.

The regatta followed last week’s 1st Indian Sailing League, which included 182 participants, including 58 international sailors. The North East Regatta 2026 included categories such as ILCA 4 boys and girls, Optimist (boys and girls), 420 Mixed, 29ER (boys and girls), and Techno 293 (boys and girls). As a YAI ranking event, it contributed to national sailor rankings and served as a trial platform for national squads preparing for international events, including the Asian Games.

A total prize pool exceeding ₹10 lakh was distributed across categories. Lt Gen TSA Narayanan, AVSM, Vice President of YAI, praised the organisers, noting the scale and smooth execution of the event. He described it as the only sailing competition in India offering cash awards and highlighted its affordability and logistical efficiency.

Notable performances included Ankit Singh Sisodiya and Tulsi Patle winning gold in the ILCA 4 Boys and Girls events, and Rudresh Singh Patel and Mayank Rajput taking the 29ER Boys title. International participants also excelled, with the Malaysia Sailing Association (MSA) mixed youth team winning the 420 Class and the Kedah Sailing Association (KSA) athletes topping the Optimist Main Boys and Girls divisions. Special Gold was awarded to Muhammad Zulfan Akif and Nur Iman Sofia (KSA) in the Optimist Green Fleet. Hriethik Amar Jaiswal (Trishna Sailing Club) won the ILCA 6 Youth Open, while Arjun Marathe and Vritika Sandeep Mhatre (Yachting Association of Maharashtra) secured double gold in the Techno 293 Boys and Girls events.

Alok Kumar Yadav, League Director, acknowledged the support of the Indian Army, state departments, and local agencies, emphasizing the importance of safe and well-managed logistics. He noted that competing alongside international sailors provided Indian participants valuable experience in varied water conditions.

During the closing ceremony, technical committees, international jury members, judges, race officers, commentators, and other officials were felicitated. Cultural performances by artists from the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Program (CM-MGMP) were also featured.

The successful conduct of consecutive high-profile water sports events highlights Meghalaya’s growing prominence as a destination for competitive sailing and water sports, with Umiam emerging as a key centre for such activities in India.