A small village, around 40 kms from Pasighat in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, was ecstatic with pride to welcome their daughter who made the region proud in the recently concluded Hero Sub-Junior Girls’ National Championship in Cuttack, Odisha.
Oyi Tayeng, from Borguli village under Mebo sub division, was part of the Arunachal Pradesh team who won the runner up title at the championship. Local villagers and village heads accorded a warm welcome back to Tayeng on Wednesday.
Tayeng was part of the Arunachal Pradesh football team which had a splendid run in the tournament, making history by becoming the first girls’ team from the state to make it to the final of the championship.
Feeling proud of the team’s win, Chief Minister Pema Khandu had also hosted a dinner for the players on June 24. Khandu felicitated the girls’ football team that played the finals at the championship and emerged runner-up, bowing out to Jharkhand in the summit clash.
“Do not stop playing. Keep your passion for the game intact. Work on your skills and aim for the sky,” Khandu had said.
Welcoming Tayeng to her village, the village elders of Borguli village led by Gaon Burah Nogen Yirang, including the parents of Tayeng, expressed their happiness over her representing Arunachal Pradesh in the national level sports event.
Oyi’s mother Deoti Tayeng and father Kaling Tayeng were also seemingly very happy seeing their daughter having representing the entire state in the national level sports event. “We had never dreamt of our daughter playing in the state and national level sports, but her determination in playing football has taken her up to this stage… we believe that she will make the state more proud in days to come also,” her parents said.
