At Zanskar Winter Sports Festival, Minister Rijiju Promises Ladakh India’s Largest Ice Hockey Centre
by Mugdha Gaonkar Entertainment | January 25, 2021 | News
Zanskar Winter Sports & Youth Festival 2021 Kiren Rijiju Khelo India Ladakh Tourism
A picture-postcard landscape, surrounded by the snow-capped Zanskar in Ladakh, just raised the bar in the Tourism sector with the ongoing debut edition of ‘Zanskar Winter Sports & Youth Festival 2021’ that started on January 18 and will go on up to January 30, 2021. Around 700 people from various parts of Zanskar are participating in the event.
The 13-day festival was inaugurated by Union Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, who announced that he will provide Ladakh with India's largest ice hockey centre. He also assured sports infrastructure development in the Union Territory and said that he will create sports facilities in every village of Leh and Ladakh. “In the next two to two-and-alf years, we will create sports facilities in all small districts in Kargil, Leh and all the adjoining areas. We will provide astro turf, athletics synthetic track, archery centres and so on. We will also provide Ladakh with India's largest ice hockey centre," declared Rijiju.
Under the Khelo India banner
Organized by the Department of Sports & Youth Services under the Khelo India banner in collaboration with the Ladakh Tourism Department, the main attractions of the sporting event are Chadar trek, snow skiing, snow scooter and hiking, ice hockey and ethnic food fest, amongst others. In Ladakh, this is the first big Khelo India event and the sports ministry's flagship programme to encourage sporting activities as part of daily fitness.
The Minister urged people to get acclimatized first and be fit so that they can feel the spectacular beauty of Zanskar and enjoy Khelo India Winter Sports Festival.
Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor, Leh Advocate Tashi Gyaltson, Executive Councillor for Tourism and Zanskar Affairs Engineer Phunsog Tashi, Secretary Sports UT Ladakh Ravinder Kumar, Deputy Commissioner/CEO, LAHDC, Kargil Baseer ul Haq Choudhary, SP Kargil Anayat Ali Choudhary, Councillors, representatives of religious and social organizations, PRI members, district and sub divisional officers, participants and a large number of sports lovers were present at the inauguration ceremony of the festival.
Minister tries his hand at archery
The Minister tweeted saying that despite the weather being extremely chilly at -20°C in the daytime and -32°C at night, the ambience and the spirit of people are making the Khelo India Winter Sports Festival at Zanskar colourful and memorable. He also shared a video on his social media platform, in which he was seen trying his hand at archery. In the video, Rijiju said, “We want to take Ladakh forward in sports and adventure activities. The Sports Ministry has already done a lot which was never done in the last 50-60 years. We have initiated several things, be it for stadiums or indoor halls. Good facilities and equipment will be provided and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focused on the development of border areas.”
In Ladakh, this is the first big Khelo India event and the sports ministry's flagship programme to encourage sporting activities as part of daily fitness.