SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday attended the closing ceremony of the ALFA Hockey Inter-School Tournament-2026 at the Synthetic Hockey Astro Turf, Polo Ground, Srinagar.
The tournament brought together participants from 32 schools across various districts, including Kupwara, Bandipora, Kulgam and Shopian.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor congratulated the winners and participants for their display of skill, talent and sportsmanship during the competition.
He appreciated the collaborative efforts of the J&K Sports Council, Badal Hockey Club and Hockey Jammu & Kashmir for providing a platform to young athletes from across the region.
“This tournament aimed for something beyond the scoreboard. It provided a transformative stage for our talented children to realize their true athletic potential,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Highlighting the progress made in the sport over recent years, Manoj Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a remarkable transformation in hockey due to sustained investments in sports infrastructure, grassroots competitions and community engagement.
“It is our aim to see more schools and more young players take up hockey in the coming years and establish Jammu and Kashmir as a cradle for world-class hockey talent,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said the administration is building a talent pipeline that will ensure a player’s progression from the school level to regional and national platforms.
He noted that synthetic hockey turfs established at Polo Ground Srinagar, Pulwama and Poonch have created new opportunities for aspiring players from urban, border and remote areas.
He further informed that modern synthetic hockey turfs are currently under construction at Bandhu Rakh and K.K. Hakku Stadium in Jammu, which would significantly strengthen training facilities, coaching programmes and talent identification initiatives in the Union Territory.
Reiterating the administration’s commitment to youth development, the Lieutenant Governor said efforts are being made to provide opportunities and resources that enable young people to excel and contribute to the vision of a developed India.
“From the Ranji Trophy Championship to the ‘Nasha Mukt J&K’ campaigns, the exceptional dedication of our youth has already been proven across various arenas. I am proud of their spirit and I want our youth’s contribution to nation-building to be second to none,” he said.
Among those present on the occasion were Vice Chancellor, Cluster University Srinagar, Prof. Mohammad Mobin; Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary; DIG Central Kashmir Range Rajiv Omprakash Pande; SSP Srinagar Dr. G.V. Sundeep Chakravarthy; Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo; Secretary, J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul; President, Badal Hockey Club, Harmeet Singh Sasan, and other members of the club, besides senior officials, sports personalities, coaches, students and teachers from various schools.