Action throughout the Under-17 Boys Short Track (300 Mts) Speed Ice Skating at NDS Stadium in Leh on Friday. | Image:DIPR – Ladakh

The Union Territory of Ladakh will now have a Khelo India Centre of Excellence. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Sports Authority of India and the sports activities division, Union Territory of Ladakh on Friday. It was the proper present for the UT internet hosting a significant nationwide occasion for the primary time. 

It was definitely a landmark day for picturesque Leh. The Khelo India Winter Games 2024, a debut for Ladakh, obtained off to a musical begin on the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Stadium. Fifteen states and two public establishments are collaborating in ice hockey and ice skating occasions over 5 days. The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig. (Dr) B.D. Mishra (Retd) was the chief visitor on the event. The second a part of the Winter Games might be held in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir from February 21-25.

On this special occasion for Ladakh, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, despatched a particular message for the Khelo India Winter Games 2024 organisers. In his inspirational deal with, PM Modi stated how Khelo India was bringing India nearer to one another. “We just witnessed the conclusion of the highly successful Khelo India Youth Games in Tamil Nadu. From the southern to the northern tip, the journey and spirit of Khelo India continues unabated. The Khelo India Winter Games epitomizes this spirit further, aiming to nurture champions and positions the regions of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, as premier winter sports destinations, globally,” stated PM Modi. 

The Khelo India Centre of Excellence in Ladakh will present an enormous enhance to sportspersons on this difficult area. The centre will serve three sports activities – athletics, archery and boxing. The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ determination to faucet expertise in Ladakh was nicely obtained.

Dr Mishra stated: “This tie-up will help sportspersons from the region to get the right facilities and improve their standards. We always want our athletes to learn from the best experts and reach international levels. This is certainly a significant milestone in the history of Ladakh sports.”

Despite the chilly climate, a motley turnout on the NDS Stadium witnessed conventional folks dances and had been handled to some foot-tapping music by the favored native band, Dashugs. An exhibition ice-hockey match between UT-Ladakh and Indo-Tibetan Border Police set the ball rolling. The match ended 0-0. An exciting 500 metre short-track ice skating by a staff of women from throughout India was a further deal with.

The first medals of the Khelo India Winter Games 2024 had been additionally selected Day 1. Eklavya Jagal of Uttar Pradesh gained the gold within the under-17 quick monitor (300m) skating for boys. He clocked 31.81 seconds. Aarav Patwardhan (32.03) and Advay Kothari (32.60) completed in that order. Both represented Maharashtra.

In the boys 17-plus quick monitor skating, Karnataka’s Akash Aradhya (32.81) gained the gold medal. Maharashtra’s Sujoy Tapkir (33.33) and Sumit Tapkir (34.33 sec) ended second and third. 

Eight groups in males’s ice-hockey and 4 in ladies’s ice hockey have additionally began their campaigns. While the lads have been divided into two teams, the ladies will play a round-robin league. ITBP are the highest seeds in each women and men’s sections.