Cue Sports potential in North East

By Annky (Priyankur Nandy)

Cue sports—comprising Snooker, Billiards and Pool—have steadily evolved across India over the years. What was once largely viewed as a recreational indoor activity has increasingly developed into a serious competitive discipline, with dedicated players, coaches, academies and sporting bodies contributing to the growth of the game across several states.

The progress is evident in the emergence of talented players who have moved from local and state-level competitions to national platforms, with some eventually earning opportunities to represent India in international competitions. The journey, however, has not been equally accessible across all regions of the country.

For the Northeastern states, particularly, there appears to be considerable untapped potential.

A large number of cue-sports enthusiasts and players are understood to practice regularly across the eight Northeastern states. Among them are several young and talented players who possess the ability, interest and ambition to progress competitively. Yet, the region continues to face a shortage of dedicated academies, professional coaching structures, regular tournaments and a clearly defined development pathway.

This gap can have a significant impact on the future of promising players. Without an organized ecosystem that provides consistent training, exposure and competition, many players may eventually lose interest or remain confined to casual participation, rather than pursuing the sport with the discipline and long-term vision required for competitive success.

Northeastern Sporting Transformation

Few of the northeastern states, like Meghalaya, Assam, in recent years, witnessed encouraging developments in its sporting landscape. The State Government’s increasing emphasis on sports infrastructure, talent development and participation has contributed towards changing the way sport is perceived among young people and their families.

Sports are increasingly being considered not merely as recreational activities or avenues for physical fitness, but also as potential career pathways. The emergence of young sporting talents from Meghalaya across different disciplines is an encouraging indication of this changing environment.

Against this backdrop, cue sports deserve a closer look.

The Northeastern hub has an existing community of players involved in Pool, Snooker and Billiards, particularly in Shillong. While exact numbers may vary, the presence of a sizeable and regularly active player base is evident. More importantly, among these players are individuals who are keen to learn, improve and compete at higher levels.

The challenge, therefore, may not necessarily be a lack of interest or talent, but the absence of a sufficiently structured ecosystem to nurture that talent.

A missing pathway

At present, aspiring cue-sports players in the state have limited access to a comprehensive system involving regular professional coaching, dedicated playing facilities, organized tournaments, talent identification and progressive competitive exposure.

A player who wishes to improve needs more than simply access to a table. Competitive development requires a suitable playing environment, qualified coaching, regular practice sessions, match experience, exposure to stronger opponents and opportunities to participate in tournaments outside the state.

A structured academy or dedicated cue-sports centre could potentially address several of these requirements under one roof.

Such a facility could serve not merely as a venue for playing, but as a development hub—offering coaching programmes, practice sessions, ranking or selection tournaments, junior development programmes, workshops, inter-state exchanges and opportunities for promising players to gain competitive exposure.

The long-term objective would be to create an environment where a talented player from Meghalaya can begin locally, receive proper guidance, compete regularly, improve progressively and eventually aspire to national and international competition.

An opportunity for Meghalaya

This is where Meghalaya could potentially create a distinctive sporting success story.

The State has already demonstrated that sustained attention and institutional support can help sporting disciplines flourish. The recent performances and achievements of Meghalaya’s athletes across various sports, including the state’s encouraging cricketing developments, demonstrate the potential that exists when talent receives the right platform.

Cue sports could become another such avenue.

The requirement, however, would be a collective and carefully planned approach involving the State Government, the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, the Meghalaya Billiards and Snooker Association, players, coaches, sporting enthusiasts and other stakeholders.

Rather than looking at cue sports simply as another sporting activity requiring infrastructure, it could be viewed as an opportunity to build a complete sporting ecosystem.

A dedicated and professionally managed academy or permanent venue could be the starting point. Alongside infrastructure, equal emphasis would need to be placed on coaching, discipline, player development, tournaments and exposure.

There is also considerable scope for developing junior and youth programmes, allowing children and young players to be introduced to the sport in a structured and positive environment.

The need to start now

The concern being expressed by many serious players is not necessarily about seeking immediate large-scale infrastructure. It is about creating a beginning and a roadmap.

Even a modest but properly planned initiative could provide the foundation for future growth. Regular state-level competitions, coaching camps, talent identification programmes and inter-state tournaments could gradually create a competitive culture around cue sports.

The alternative is to allow the existing pool of interested and talented players to remain without a clear pathway. Over time, this could lead to players losing interest, moving away from competitive aspirations or treating the sport merely as a recreational pursuit.

That would represent a missed opportunity—not only for the players, but potentially for Meghalaya’s sporting landscape.

A question worth asking

The Northeast has never been short of sporting talent. What has often been required is the right platform, institutional support and sustained opportunity.

Meghalaya today has an opportunity to examine whether cue sports can become part of that larger sporting vision.

The objective need not be to immediately produce national champions. The first objective should simply be to create the ecosystem that gives a talented player a genuine chance to become one.

With proper planning, committed stakeholders and a long-term approach, there is no reason why Meghalaya could not eventually produce its own success stories on the baulkline table—players who compete with confidence at national championships and perhaps, one day, represent the country internationally.

The question, therefore, is not whether Meghalaya has the talent.

The question is whether we are prepared to give that talent the platform it deserves.

And perhaps, for cue sports in Meghalaya, the time to begin is now.