Shillong: Forest departments from Assam and Meghalaya joined forces with the conservation group Aaranyak on Wednesday to mark World Elephant Day 2026. They staged the fourth annual Elephant Cup at the Naguapara Upper Primary School playground in the West Garo Hills. The event drew forest staff, locals, and players to highlight the collective need to protect elephants in their shared habitat.
Three main matches defined the day. The Meghalaya community squad beat Assam 2-0. The Assam Forest Department team then topped their Meghalaya counterparts 3-1. In the women’s match, Meghalaya secured a 2-1 victory. A final friendly pitted a combined forest department team against the Naguapara regional side. Winners took home cash prizes of 10,000 and 5,000 rupees, alongside medals and certificates provided by the Goalpara Forest Division.
Maureen Jannie A. Sangma, the Chief Conservator of Forests for the Garo Hills, attended alongside Goalpara District Commissioner Pradip Timung and West Goalpara MLA Pabitra Rabha. Aaranyak researchers and members of Elephant Conservation Networks from Lakhipur, Amtola, and Rongjuli were also on hand. Musician Robert Sangma provided entertainment, singing in Garo and Rabha to unite the crowd.
The tournament aims to bridge gaps between states. It turns sports into a tool for environmental advocacy. Dr. Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar of Aaranyak noted the significance of the gathering, stating the event provides a space for "interaction, friendship and dialogue between communities and forest personnel from Assam and Meghalaya." Officials stressed that because elephant herds ignore state lines, their human neighbors must cooperate to survive.
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