Kohima (Nagaland): Nagaland Governor and Centre's interlocutor for Naga peace talks, R N Ravi on Monday said that colonialism has politically fragmented the Northeast and divided the region.
Ravi, while inaugurating the 'Northeast Dr T Ao football tournament' stressed on the need for unity among people of the northeast region.
"For centuries, Northeast has been the home of people of various cultures, languages and ethnicities who lived together as one family in peaceful coexistence and harmony until the seeds of the colonial British regime fragmented the region politically," remarked Ravi, who has an additional charge of Meghalaya said.
He described Dr T Ao as a legendary sportsperson, a brilliant doctor and paid tributes to the people who conceptualised the tournament for bringing the region together through a sports competition.
''Dr Ao was the first captain of the Indian Olympic team in 1948 and had won the heart of the people'', Ravi said. He further added, the Northeast region has produced a lot of sportspersons who have brought laurels to the country. Nagaland defeated Arunachal Pradesh by 4-1 in the inaugural match of the tournament that will conclude on January 28.
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