4-day Ice Hockey Spiti Cup championship begins at Kaza

A four-day Ice Hockey Spiti Cup championship began at Kaza in Lahaul and Spiti district today.

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Anuradha Rana, Lahaul-Spiti MLA, inaugurated the competition at the Ice Skating Rink in Kaza. The event commenced with a ceremonial lighting of the lamp by the MLA, marking the beginning of the tournament.

Addressing the audience, Rana mentioned that ice skating activities have been held in the Kaza region for the last five years and the Ice Hockey Spiti Cup competition is being organised from the previous year. Players from various regions of the Spiti Valley, including Tod, Center, Shyam and Pin are participating in this year’s competition, featuring both men and women athletes and under-18 boys. In addition, children from under 8, 12, and 16 categories are competing in speed skating events, with selected athletes being given the opportunity to represent the nation at the national and international levels.

During her address, Rana emphasised the importance of such activities in promoting the sport among the youth of Lahaul and Spiti, particularly in ice skating and hockey. She stated that these initiatives not only help in nurturing local talent but also contribute to the growth of tourism in the region.

The MLA also highlighted that the state government was making significant efforts to promote sports and has allocated sufficient funds for the construction of stadiums in tribal districts, including Lahaul and Spiti. As part of this initiative, a stadium is being built in Kaza with an investment of Rs 1.50 crore. She assured that similar stadiums would be developed in other areas of the district, providing local youth with better opportunities for sports development.

On this occasion, the MLA announced a contribution of Rs 1 lakh to the Ice Hockey Association, Lahaul and Spiti, following a previous donation of Rs 6 lakh for ice hockey equipment. She also extended financial support of Rs 10,000 each to the Center Zone, Kaza, and Tod Zone, Kyato, for their cultural performances.

The chief guest also enjoyed the ice hockey match between the women’s teams of the Center and Shyam zones.

Earlier, Executive Additional Deputy Commissioner of Kaza, Shikha, extended a warm welcome to the chief guest and honoured her with a statue of Buddha, a shawl and a Thangka painting. She also praised the administration and the Ice Hockey Association for organising the event and wished them success.

Sanjeevan Roy, Executive member of Ice Hockey Association, Lahaul and Spiti, said that 12 teams are participating in Ice Hockey Spiti Cup championship. The selected players will represent state in national level ice hockey competition.