Srinagar, Oct 14 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir will host nine National School Games events across four sports disciplines from October 15 to December 27, with more than 3,500 athletes and officials expected to participate, Director General Youth Services and Sports Anuradha Gupta said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference here, the DG Gupta, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the opening ceremony would be held at the Government College of Physical Education, Ganderbal, tomorrow, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah scheduled to attend.
“These competitions will provide young athletes national-level exposure and help identify emerging sporting talent,” she said.
Gupta said Kashmir would host Under-17 boys’ and girls’ Wushu and Taekwondo competitions from October 15 to 27. Around 450 to 500 players and officials are expected to participate in Wushu, while Taekwondo is likely to draw around 800 to 1,000 participants, she said.
In Jammu, the events will include Under-17 and Under-19 boys’ and girls’ Fencing competitions and under-17 girls’ cricket. These competitions will be held at Khel Gaon, Nagrota, and continue until December 27, she said.
The DG said the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports is an affiliated unit of the School Games Federation of India, which provides states and Union Territories opportunities to host different sporting disciplines.
Highlighting the improvement in local athletes’ performance, she said Jammu and Kashmir had won four to five medals in 2022, while the tally rose to 73 last year. “We have come a long way,” she said, adding that the improvement reflected the growing enthusiasm among young athletes and their participation in competitions.
Citing an example, Gupta said Nasir Sofi was part of India’s under-14 volleyball team at the World School Games in Beijing, where the team won a bronze medal. She also said a J&K athlete had been selected to represent the country in judo this year.
She said the department was working to support young players through coaching facilities, guidance and information about opportunities to compete at higher levels.
“We are taking small steps. We are hand-holding the kids. We are trying to give them coaching facilities and tutoring, and tell them what the avenues are,” she said.
The DG YSS added, "Apart from hosting national-level competitions, Jammu and Kashmir sends around 2,000 to 3,000 athletes to events organised by other states and Union Territories each year. These competitions are held over an extended period, generally from October to March or April."
Urging the media to publicise the National School Games, Gupta called for wider awareness among students and young athletes across Jammu and Kashmir to encourage their participation. The department, she said, would continue supporting young athletes and helping them improve their performance in the coming years—(KNO)