Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 2: The Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh will host athletics competitions at four centres on March 8 as part of the nationwide ASMITA League to mark International Women’s Day.
Kargil in Ladakh will stage the special ASMITA League, while Rajouri, Srinagar and Udhampur in J&K will host events across three age groups – Under-13, 13-18 and 18+. The competitions will feature 100m, 200m and 400m races. The announcement was made by Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse.
As per the details, each venue will deploy five technical officials, ten volunteers, a competition manager, a Past Champion Athlete (PCA) and a District Youth Officer to ensure smooth conduct of the league.
Besides competitions, the programme will include women technical officials, developmental workshops, orientation on Athletics Federation of India-aligned officiating norms, and training in digital data upload and competition documentation to strengthen local capacity.
The events are part of a nationwide athletics drive under the ASMITA (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action) programme of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
On March 8, competitions will be held at 250 locations across more than 30 States and Union Territories, including the North-East.
Officials said the initiative aims to integrate young women across the country through sport. “There can’t be a better opportunity to integrate our young women across the nation, and what better tool than the ASMITA platform, which is already gaining popularity across the country,” they said.
“The objective is to encourage girls in villages and small towns to take up sports as a career, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Launched in 2021 under the Khelo India mission, ASMITA promotes women’s participation in sports through structured leagues and competitions.
The Sports Authority of India supports National Sports Federations in conducting Khelo India women’s leagues at zonal and national levels.
More than 2,600 leagues have been held across 34 disciplines in over 550 districts and 700 cities.
The programme has reached remote regions such as Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram and areas once affected by Naxalism. Over three lakh women have participated so far.
Officials expect nearly 2.5 lakh women to compete across 250 venues on March 8, marking a record single-day participation for International Women’s Day.
The initiative will be implemented with MY Bharat, Khelo India Centres (KICs), the SAI ecosystem and National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), along with State and District Sports Associations and District Youth Officers.
Referring to India’s preparations for future global events, the minister said the effort also supports long-term capacity building. “As India prepares for the Commonwealth Games 2030 and pursues its ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games, readiness must begin at the district level,” the minister said.
She noted that hosting an Olympic Games requires more than infrastructure and requires trained human resources, certified technical officials and administrative excellence. “This International Women’s Day initiative is part of that preparation.”
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