Sopore : Nearly 900 young women athletes from across North Kashmir gathered at Government Degree College (GDC) for Women, Sopore, on Sunday as the first-ever North Kashmir Women’s Sports Festival got underway, bringing together participants from 14 degree colleges and five higher secondary schools.
The three-day festival, featuring competitions in seven sporting disciplines, was inaugurated by Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education, Ram Nivas Sharma, in the presence of Secretary Higher Education Safqat Iqbal and SSP Sopore Iftikhar Talib.
The festival has provided a common platform for women athletes from educational institutions across the region to compete against each other and showcase their sporting talent.
The opening ceremony began with an Izband ceremony presented by students of the host college, adding a traditional touch to the event.
Addressing the participants, Sharma said sports were an important part of students’ overall development, helping inculcate discipline, teamwork, confidence and leadership.
He welcomed the participation of athletes from different parts of North Kashmir and urged them to approach the competitions with dedication and sportsmanship while using the opportunity to improve their skills.
Safqat Iqbal and SSP Sopore Iftikhar Talib also appreciated the initiative, with the organisers saying the festival would provide greater exposure to young women athletes and encourage wider participation in sports.
The event also saw the release of the college’s bi-annual newsletter and its annual college magazine, MEHAK.
According to the organisers, athletes from 14 degree colleges and five higher secondary schools are participating in the festival, which will continue for three days.
Dr Tanvir Ahmad Bhat, Physical Director and Sports Coordinator, briefed the gathering about the structure of the festival and the sporting events being conducted during the programme.
Principals of participating degree colleges and higher secondary schools, physical directors, faculty members, athletes and media representatives attended the inaugural ceremony.
