Kargil, Jan. 22: Under IISM Cup Championship, National Events of Adventure Tourism (NEAT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism Government of India and UT Ladakh Administration organized ice hockey matches here today at Ice Hockey Rink Goshan Drass.

Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC, Kargil  Feroz Ahmad Khan, Executive Councilor (EC) for Works Mubarak Shah Nagvi, Director IITM/ Principal IISM, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India Professor Alok Sharma, Chief Organizer IISM Cup J S Dhillon,  Commander 56 Mountain Brigade Brigadier M.R Subodh, Additional Deputy Commissioner  (ADC) Kargil Tsering Motup, District Youth Services and Sports Officer (DYSSO) Muhammad Hussain Rehnuma and Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Drass Muhammad Hassan were present on the occasion.

Chief guest of the event, Chairman LAHDC, Kargil Feroz Ahmad Khan expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism, GoI for taking initiatives to promote winter sports in Kargil and to develop necessary infrastructure. He said that the prime aim of LAHDC is to boost cultural and sports activities along with promotion of Tourism sector in the district. 

Feroz Khan added that a new beginning regarding winter sports has happened in Drass and we will try to get funds from the UT Administration to establish the Ice Hockey rink Drass on better standards.

The CEC added that sports needs to be converged with employment and in this regard we need to promote sports  like Snow Skiing, Archery, Ice Hockey and Polo as our players have the natural abilities to play these games and excel in them.

EC Works Mubarak Shah Nagvi on the occasion stressed to improve the winter sports infrastructure in Drass and suggested that the Ice Hockey Rink Drass should be developed on international standards and a DPR should be submitted by the LAHDC to the UT Administration.

Director IITM/ Principal IISM, Alok Sharma Professor Alok Sharma thanked LAHDC and District Administration, Kargil for their active support to make the dream of organizing this camp in Kargil successful. He added that Ministry of Tourism, GoI aims to make Kargil a hot spot of adventure sports lovers all across from nation and abroad.
Professor Sharma added that there is great energy and zeal among the players here and it needs to be witnessed by international and national tourists.

Chief Organizer of the event and Consultant to Ministry of Tourism GoI, Colonel J. S Dhillon said that he never thought that the task that he had got a year back will be executed in such a great manner.

Colonel Dhillon added that he is amazed to witness a great energy amongst the youth and hoped that with the efforts of Central Government and UT Administration Ladakh, Kargil will be a best winter destination in coming years.

SDM Drass Muhammad Hassan thanked all the dignitaries, guests, athletes and local crowd for witnessing the event.

Earlier, in the male category Chiktan won over Kargil with a margin of 5-1 goals, and in female category Kargil won over Shargole with a margin of 1-0 goal.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of Tourism GoI, Prahlad Singh Patel will witness the concluding day of the event on the 24th-25th of this month and the Minister will also inaugurate the IISM Branch Kargil.