Tura, Jan 11: Tura town is gearing up to accord a warm welcome to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, on January 15 and the citizens of this oldest and largest town in Garo Hills are jubilant with the news of the impending visit of India’s first woman tribal president. Her visit is special more so because this will be the first time the head of country will be spending a night in town.

Hectic preparations are underway with hosts, the West Garo Hills District administration, working overtime putting in place final touches as Tura prepares to receive the President on her maiden visit to Meghalaya and the Garo Hills.

President Murmu will attend the inaugural ceremony of the 5th Meghalaya Games 2024. The inaugural ceremony is being held at P.A. Sangma Stadium in Tura, where full rehearsals are currently underway for displaying Meghalaya’s rich culture and heritage.

Bamboo barricades along roadsides have been erected across the town as part of the necessary standard protocols to be followed during the visit of highest dignitaries.

It will be history in the making for Tura as the President of India will take residence for the night, on January 15th, at the newly built Raj Bhavan, located at Danakgre, Tura.

The Raj Bhawan in Tura will be inaugurated by the Governor of Meghalaya, Phagu Chauhan, in presence of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on January 12, 2024 (Friday). The new Raj Bhavan at Tura has been draped in grandeur as last minute touches are given before the inauguration ceremony.

The opening of the Raj Bhawan or Governor House in Tura is going to fulfil a long standing demand of the people of Garo Hills as successive governments have faced multiple agitations by student and civil society groups seeking its establishment.

The first ever visit by a head of state to Garo Hills was way back in October 2008 when the first woman President of India, Pratibha Devi Singh Patel, invited by Late P A Sangma, inaugurated the first ever airport at Baljek Jengjal, 30 kms from Tura, putting Garo Hills on the air map of the country as the first commercial ATR plane landed and took off from Baljek airport.

First matches of Meghalaya Games commences

The tone for the weeklong Meghalaya Games in Tura has begun with the first match in the sports category of football kicking off from the football turf in Chandmari playground between guests Khasi Hills and hosts Garo Hills on a cold and foggy Thursday in Tura.

Tura has been gifted with an extended festive season as localities are spruced up with cleaning drives and colourful lighting dotting the town’s landscape to welcome the state games for the first time in Garo Hills.

There are 15 different venues for the games. A total of 22 sports disciplines including traditional games will be played during the mega sporting event of the state, which is also a ‘trial’ to test Tura’s capacity to host the 39th National Games, along with Shillong city.

Also Read: Meghalaya Games 2024| U-18 Boys’ Football: Eastern West Khasi Hills demolish East Garo Hills 7 – 0

Also Watch

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/nemediahub