Excelsior Sports Correspondent
GULMARG, Mar 9: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, attended the inaugural ceremony of the 5th Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) at Gulmarg today. The Lieutenant Governor welcomed and conveyed his best wishes to athletes and team officials from all over the country participating in different winter sports disciplines.
“Khelo India Winter Games symbolize the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. The world-famous winter tourism destination, Gulmarg, has been developed as a winter sports city. I welcome you all. A real champion is made not by victory or defeat but by passion, enthusiasm, courage, and sportsmanship. This is your opportunity to show the world the skills and unique abilities you have acquired after years of hard work and inspire the young generation. Let us strengthen our bond as a family by imbibing the values of sportsmanship, brotherhood, and promoting peace, unity, and harmony,” the LG said.
The Lieutenant Governor expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the J&K Sports Department, the Sports Council, and all stakeholders for promoting a robust sports culture and developing state-of-the-art sports infrastructure and allied facilities, along with global-standard coaching, in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
“I am proud of what we have achieved in the last four and a half years. Today, the UT of Jammu and Kashmir has become home to national and international-level sporting events. International cricket has returned to the Kashmir valley after three decades. The success of previous editions of Khelo India Winter Games and the inspirational success stories of our sportspersons in various sports disciplines reflect our sporting power,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor also spoke on key initiatives taken by the Government to promote sports in Jammu and Kashmir. Around 4,500 players are being trained in 92 Khelo India Centers in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Last year, 15,000 players from Jammu and Kashmir participated at the national and zonal levels. The Water Sports Academy and Fencing Academy have been established at Nehru Park, Srinagar, and MA Stadium, Jammu, respectively.
“We are soon going to complete the construction of the prestigious Khel Gaon in Nagrota, and high-performance training centers are being developed across the districts in J&K in a phased manner to enhance the training and performance of athletes,” he further said.
Satish Sharma, Minister for Youth Services & Sports; Farooq Ahmed Shah, Member of Legislative Assembly from Gulmarg; Nazir Ahmad, Member of Legislative Assembly from Gurez; Minga Sherpa, Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla; Mayank Srivastav, DDG, Sports Authority of India; Nuzhat Gul, Secretary, J&K Sports Council; senior officials; representatives of the Sports Authority of India; various sports organizations; prominent sports personalities; and sports enthusiasts in large numbers were present.
Medallists
Snowboarding Slalom (Men)
*Gold: Mehrajuddin Khan (J&K)
*Silver: Zubair Ahmad Lone (J&K)
*Bronze: Vivek Rana (Army)
Snowboarding Slalom (Women)
*Gold: Menka Gunjiyal (Uttrakhand)
*Silver: Sakshi Thakur (Himachal Pradesh)
*Bronze: Natasha Maher (Himachal Prades)
Ski Mountaineering Men’s Spirint
*Gold: Rajeshwar Singh (Army)
*Silver: Siddharth (Maharashtra)
*Bronze: Mayank Dimri (Uttrakhand)
Alpine Skiing Slalom
*Gold: Yogesh Kumar (HP)
*Silver: Jigmet Rafastan (Army)
*Bronze: Bakir Hussain (Army)
Nordic Skiing (5 km Women)
*Gold: Bhawani Thekkada (KAR)
*Silver: Selma Soreng (ITBP)
*Bronze Kusum Rana (ITBP)
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