Inaugural Mithun-Rhino Pickleball Championship from today in Dimapur

Sporting history is set to be made in Nagaland as the Inaugural Mithun-Rhino Pickleball Championship 2026 begins on Saturday at The Fitness House (TFH), Dimapur. Organized by the Nagaland Pickleball Association (NPA) in affiliation with the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA), the event marks the state’s first-ever major interstate pickleball competition and is expected to pave the way for organized tournaments across the Northeast.
The Mithun-Rhino Championship, named after two iconic animals of Northeast India, will feature competitive matches across multiple categories, with participants drawn from the recently concluded Team Nagaland Trials. The two-day event will conclude with a closing function on March 15 at The Fitness House.
A prize pool of Rs. 2,00,000 has been announced, with winners and runners-up across categories such as Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Veterans 40+, Veterans 45+, and Women’s Doubles receiving cash prizes, trophies, and certificates. The inaugural function will be chaired by vice president of NPA, Kakivi Chishi. Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Sharingain Longkumer, will attend as chief guest, while senior vice president of NPF, Charlie Sekhose will be the honoured guest.