ITANAGAR: The 56th edition of the Chalo Loku Festival of the Nocte community commenced on Friday with a spirited mini marathon that carried the theme “Run for Unity, Culture, and Brotherhood.” The event, held in Tirap district, saw active participation from runners across the region, embodying the festival's focus on unity and cultural heritage.
Tahche Wangpan secured the top spot in the boys' division, with Pankai Loshu coming in second and Wangtan Chaitan in third.
The top finisher for the females was Ngojen Hassen, followed by Angap Wangsu in second place and Pongkey Hassen in third. In each category, the top three received cash awards of Rs. 10,000, Rs. 5,000, and Rs. 3,000, while the seven runners-up received consolation prizes of Rs. 1,000 apiece.
Tirap DC, Techu Aran started the boys' six-kilometer race, which led them from Old Petrol Pump Tini Ali to Tea Garden Point. At 5:30 a.m., Tirap SP Singjat Singpho began the event, and the girls' race came immediately after.
At Loku Ground, Nehru Stadium, an indigenous food fair was inaugurated later in the day to extend the celebrations. Touring the 64 festival stalls, Tirap's land revenue and settlement officer, Lomin Lonchung, stressed the value of locally grown, organic food.
He urged the population to prioritize the consumption of indigenous foods, highlighting their health benefits.
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