The two women who were felicitated are Bonifilia Shullai, a resident of Umsohsun, Shillong, and Alisha Lyngdoh from Dienshynrum village, Khliehriat.
Meghalaya cabinet minister and MLA of South Shillong Constituency, Sanbor Shullai, on Sunday, felicitated two women football players from the state who have been selected to represent India.
The two women who were felicitated are Bonifilia Shullai, a resident of Umsohsun, Shillong, and Alisha Lyngdoh from Dienshynrum village, Khliehriat. They each received a cash award of Rs 50,000 along with other gifts during the function held at Orchid Lake Resort, Umiam.
India sealed their spot in the AFC Under-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 with a 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan on Friday at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek.
Bonifilia said, “We were called to attend the trials in Bangalore a month ago for the U-17 Championship to play for Assam, and we emerged as winners after competing against Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. After that, we couldn’t return home as we continued training with the Indian team to prepare for the AFC Qualifiers, which we have just returned from in Uzbekistan. We played against Uzbekistan and Pakistan and won both matches 2-1. Our team emerged as the group winner and has qualified for the AFC U-17 Championship, which will be held in China in May 2026.”
She said that they will be able to return home only for one or two weeks, after which they will have to go back for training in preparation for the Indian Women’s League (IWL), where they will play for Indian Arrows, as well as for the AFC.
“We are filled with joy to have the opportunity to represent the country and bring pride to our state. I also hope that many more youngsters will reach this level and work even harder. We are very happy to be part of the team that has qualified for the U-17 Championship for the first time,” said Bonifilia.
Speaking at the function, Sanbor Shullai said that upon learning about the return of these women footballers, he immediately made arrangements to felicitate them. He also spoke with the Chief Minister of the state, Conrad K. Sangma, the Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, and the Sports Minister regarding the felicitation.
Shullai said that his decision to felicitate the two players was not only in his capacity as an MLA but also as a Minister in the State Government. He further informed that the State Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs has expressed that the government will also organise a special felicitation for the two players who have represented India.