Aizawl, Nov 25: Mizoram and Telangana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in sports, officials said on Monday. The agreement was signed during the ‘Telangana–North East Connect: A Techno-Cultural Festival’ held in Hyderabad on Saturday.

The MoU was formally exchanged between Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma and Mizoram Sports and Youth Services Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar.

During a panel discussion at the festival, Minister Hmar said Mizoram is working to promote excellence across Olympic disciplines beyond football. He highlighted the state’s ‘Emerging Mizoram Sports (EMS)’ initiative, launched under the flagship ‘Bana Kaih’ or handholding scheme, which aims to nurture young sporting talent.

As part of the partnership, Mizoram proposed athlete exchange programmes, sharing of coaching expertise, and free access for Mizo sportspersons to Telangana’s advanced sports infrastructure.

The festival, jointly organised by Telangana Raj Bhavan and the state government, also explored broader collaborations in music, women’s empowerment, fine arts, performing arts, literature, and cinema.