Drass: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday announced an increase in prize money for the winners and runners-up of the LG Horse Polo Cup while attending the closing ceremony of the tournament’s sixth edition at the Goshan Polo Ground in Drass.
The Lieutenant Governor said this year’s winning team would receive ₹1 lakh, while the runners-up would be awarded ₹50,000, up from ₹50,000 and ₹25,000, respectively. He also announced that the winners of the 2027 edition would receive ₹2 lakh, with the runners-up getting ₹1 lakh.
Held from July 21 to 27, the Union Territory-level championship featured 18 men’s teams and four women’s teams from across Ladakh. In the final, the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre (LSRC) defeated the Animal Husbandry Department, Leh, to win the title.
Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, and Member of Parliament from Ladakh Mohmad Haneefa Jan were also present at the closing ceremony.
Addressing the gathering, Saxena described horse polo as an integral part of Ladakh’s cultural heritage and said the sport reflected the region’s traditions of horsemanship and community life. He congratulated all participating teams and welcomed the increasing participation of women in the tournament.
The Lieutenant Governor said the Union Territory administration would continue to promote horse polo alongside the development of modern sports infrastructure. He also highlighted the potential of linking the traditional sport with adventure tourism and cultural festivals to generate livelihood opportunities and promote Ladakh as a tourism destination.
The event concluded with the presentation of trophies and awards to the winning teams and outstanding performers.
