11th Men’s Ice Hockey meet begins at Kaza

Mandi, March 14

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Lahaul and Spiti district Neeraj Kumar inaugurated the 11th Men’s National Ice Hockey championship at Kaza on Monday.

Five teams, — Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Delhi and Indian Army — will compete for the championship which will conclude on March 20.

In the first match of the championship, ITBP defeated Himachal Pradesh 9-1.

It is for the first time that the Men’s National Ice Hockey Championship is being organised at Kaza. Earlier, Kaza administration had successfully hosted the Women’s championship in January. DC Neeraj Kumar said that Spiti valley has to face harsh weather conditions during the winters. In such conditions, organising a game like ice hockey at Kaza is a big achievement for the organisers.

“This event is playing a crucial role to promote winter tourism in Spiti valley. It will strengthen the economy of the region and encourage youths to uptake winter sports,” he added.

The Deputy Commissioner informed that the local administration has distributed 80 ice-skates among local children. He added that the administration would also create infrastructure for adventure tourism under the Union Government’s Vibrant Village Programme.