Meghalaya’s state animal, Clouded Leopard, will be the mascot for the National Games 2022 coinciding with the 50th year of the creation of the state.
The decision was taken at the first National Games 2022 executive committee meeting chaired by Meghalaya sports and youth affairs minister Banteidor Lyngdoh at Shillong on Monday.
Clouded Leopard is one of the wild cats that live throughout the forests of Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
Lyngdoh said a competition will be conducted by the information and public relations department along with the education department which will be open to all to finalize the logo and the theme of the National Games.
“The members agreed that the Clouded Leopard will be the mascot for the National Games. A competition to design a smiling Clouded Leopard will be open to all,” he said.
Lyngdoh said sub-committees will be formed headed by the chief executive officer of the games secretariat to submit a report to the National Games organising committee to finalize the number of sporting events, venues and sports infrastructure.
Lyngdoh informed the members that the main stadium will be funded by the ministry of social justice. The stadium will be constructed over approximately 50 acres in Mawdiangdiang.
Meghalaya will be the third Northeast state to host the National Games after Manipur and Assam hosted the National Games in 1999 and 2007 respectively. Meghalaya co-hosted the 2016 South Asian Games with its neighbour Assam.
