Doda : The four-day 6th National Rafting Championship, titled “The Ultimate River Battle,” concluded Sunday with a grand ceremony at Shibnote (Premnagar), Doda.
The ceremony was attended by the Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar, DDC Chairperson Doda Dhananter Singh Kotwal, Municipal Commissioner Jammu Dr. Devansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner Doda Harvinder Singh, Deputy Commissioner Reasi Kumar Abhishek, Director Tourism Jammu Vikas Gupta, SSP Doda Sandeep Kumar, ADDC Doda Roshan Lal, ADC Bhaderwah Sunil Kumar Bhutyal, CO, ACR Doda, SDM Thathri, CEO BDA, Joint Director Tourism along with officers from various departments, representatives of the Rafting Federation J&K, Team SDRF J&K, Chenab Rescue teams, Municipality officials, locals and visiting tourists.
Addressing the gathering, the Divisional Commissioner congratulated all participating teams and appreciated the efforts of all stakeholders for making the event a grand success. He lauded the Directorate of Tourism for promoting adventure tourism in the Chenab Valley and highlighted the Government of Jammu & Kashmir’s commitment to strengthening tourism across the Jammu Division.
He emphasized that destinations such as Guldanda, Bhaderwah and Jai Valley possess natural beauty comparable to the Kashmir Valley and noted that ongoing infrastructure development, including new roads and tunnels, will significantly improve connectivity and reduce travel time to these picturesque locations. He further informed that 75 tourist destinations have been identified by the Directorate of Tourism, including several in Doda and Bhaderwah, where new events and tourism initiatives will be promoted.
The Divisional Commissioner Jammu also encouraged the promotion of local culture, folk dances and traditional music to provide the youth with platforms to showcase their talent and generate employment opportunities. He congratulated the BSF men’s and women’s teams for winning top honours in the championship and appreciated the role of the Police and security agencies in ensuring smooth and secure conduct of the event.
DDC Chairperson, Dhananter Singh Kotwal, in his address, acknowledged the efforts of Deputy Commissioner Doda for encouraging both officials and locals to successfully host such large-scale events across the district. He also appreciated the Directorate of Tourism and District Administration Doda for identifying new adventure tourism sites and promoting youth participation. Highlighting developmental achievements, he stated that 31 new roads were inaugurated in recent months, improving rural connectivity and benefiting local communities. He noted that such events generate livelihood opportunities for unemployed youth and requested the Directorate of Tourism to organize more events during the summer season as well. He also expressed gratitude to the security forces for their support and protection.
Director Tourism Jammu Vikas Gupta expressed gratitude towards District Administration Doda, and all stakeholders for ensuring the smooth conduct of the championship. He informed that while five previous rafting championships were organized in Reasi, hosting the sixth edition in Doda marked a significant step in expanding adventure tourism across the Chenab region. He encouraged local youth interested in rafting to connect with the Directorate of Tourism, assuring necessary permissions and institutional support to promote adventure activities.
He further announced that events like Sarthal Winter Festival and the Shibnote Rafting Championship would be incorporated into the official tourism calendar. Upcoming tourism projects for Guldanda and Padri along with a proposed Winter Carnival in Guldanda, were also highlighted as key initiatives aimed at boosting regional tourism.
During the ceremony, dignitaries distributed mementos and cash prizes to winners of the rafting championship, including marathon and sprint events, securing first, second and third positions.
Earlier, the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, DDC Chairperson, Municipal Commissioner Jammu Dr. Devansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioners of Doda and Reasi, Director Tourism, SSP Doda, CO and other dignitaries undertook a rafting expedition from the scenic rafting site of Shibnote (Premnagar) to Karara, covering an approximate distance of 15 kilometres, showcasing the immense adventure tourism potential of the Chenab River stretch.
The championship was held from February 19 to February 22, 2026 and was organized by the Directorate of Tourism Jammu in collaboration with the District Administration Doda, attracting participants, tourists and adventure enthusiasts from across Jammu & Kashmir and various parts of the country.
A vibrant musical programme was also organised yesterday at Bhaderwah by the Directorate of Tourism in collaboration with the District Administration Doda, which was attended by all dignitaries, officers, participants, locals and tourists, adding a cultural highlight to the celebrations.
