Srinagar: The National SnowShoe Coaching Camp-2026 concluded in Srinagar on Friday, bringing together shortlisted athletes from Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country for preparations for the World SnowShoe Championship-2027, scheduled to be held in Italy on January 5.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Srinagar, Dr GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, chaired the closing ceremony at Hotel Radisson Collection, Riverfront.
The camp was organised by the J&K SnowShoe Association under the aegis of the SnowShoe Federation of India (SSFI). Athletes from Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab and Rajasthan participated alongside their counterparts from Jammu and Kashmir. Those selected from outside the Union Territory qualified on the basis of their performances at the 10th National SnowShoe Championship held at Sonamarg last winter.
The athletes underwent specialised training under National Institute of Sports-qualified coach Tahir Mir, who has been assigned to train the Indian contingent for the world championship. International SnowShoe athlete Muzamil Mir also participated in the training programme.
Addressing the gathering, Chakravarthy welcomed the athletes from outside Jammu and Kashmir and said their participation alongside local sportspersons reflected the role of sports in bringing young people together.
He described SnowShoe running as a demanding endurance discipline requiring physical fitness, sustained effort and dedication. Drawing on his experience of seeing SnowShoe athletes in Andhra Pradesh, he said the sport required considerable preparation.
The SSP also highlighted the role of sports in promoting discipline, fitness and constructive engagement among young people, saying participation in sporting activities could help steer them away from drugs and other harmful influences. He wished the athletes success in their preparations for the international competition.
J&K SnowShoe Association president Tariq Ghani welcomed the chief guest and appreciated his encouragement for athletes preparing for the championship. Association vice-president Arif Laigaroo also highlighted the role of sports in youth engagement and drug-abuse prevention.
During the ceremony, certificates of appreciation were presented to athletes who had travelled from outside Jammu and Kashmir to attend the camp.
Awards of honour were also presented to coach Tahir Mir for his role in preparing the Indian team for Italy; international SnowShoe athlete Muzamil Mir; long-distance runner Zahid Rafiq Kota, who has documented 200 alpine lakes across Kashmir and Ladakh; veteran watersports and survival expert Reyaz Wani; veteran Srinagar athlete Mushtaq; Gurdeep Khokhar, secretary of the Chandigarh Association; Amit, secretary of the Delhi Association; and Diphi Jain, an official from Haryana.
Among those present were SSFI vice-president Harish Kumar, J&K SnowShoe Association vice-president Advocate Suhaib Mir, general secretary Dr Altaf ur Rehman, Dr Meena Sharma of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority and other association members and officials.
The camp marked a preparatory phase for the Indian contingent ahead of the World SnowShoe Championship in Italy.
