Itanagar, Nov 22 The National weightlifting championship was inaugurated on Tuesday at Nirjuli by Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki.

The seventh National Youth (Boys and Girls) and 48th Men and 24th Women Junior Championship started at a glittering function at Niyakum Niya Hall after the march past by representatives of 25 participating states.

Thanking Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) for holding the mega-event in the state, Tuki said, "It would herald a new era for sports sector in the state despite inadequate infrastructure."

"Weightlifters of Arunachal Pradesh have proved their mettle at global events," IWF president B P Baishya said and hoped weightlifter from the state would represent India in 2016 Olympics.

AWA vice-president L Sukun Singh later said 52 participants from Punjab (14), Madhya Pradesh (14), Haryana and Tamil Nadu (12) each are expected late tonight, which would take the number to 289.

PTI