Sports infra push in J&K opening new avenues for hockey players: L-G Sinha

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said that investments in sports infrastructure, grassroots competitions, and community engagement have successfully enhanced the popularity of sports and expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir would emerge as a cradle of world-class hockey talent.

Sinha’s remarks came at the closing ceremony of the ALFA Hockey Inter-School Tournament-2026 at the synthetic hockey astro-turf at Polo Ground here. The tournament brought together participants from 32 schools across various districts, including Kupwara, Bandipora, Kulgam and Shopian.

Addressing the gathering, the Lt Governor congratulated the winners and participants for their impressive display of skill and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.

He lauded the joint efforts of the J&K Sports Council, Badal Hockey Club and Hockey Jammu & Kashmir in providing a vibrant platform for young athletes to showcase their talent and passion for the sport.

“This tournament aimed for something beyond the scoreboard. It provided a transformative stage for our talented children to realise their true athletic potential,” Sinha said.

The L-G highlighted the significant progress made by hockey in Jammu and Kashmir over the past few years. “It is our aim to see more schools and young players take up hockey in the coming years and establish Jammu and Kashmir as a cradle of world-class hockey talent.

“We are building a talent pipeline that will support a player’s journey from the school level to the regional and national stages,” he said.

Sinha noted that synthetic hockey turfs at Polo Ground Srinagar, Pulwama and Poonch have created new opportunities for aspiring players from urban centres, border districts and remote areas. He added that state-of-the-art synthetic hockey turfs are currently under construction at Bandhu Rakh and KK Hakku Stadium in Jammu.

“These projects will significantly expand the capacity for advanced training, specialised coaching camps and talent identification programmes, creating a strong foundation for future national-level players,” he said.

Reiterating the administration’s commitment to youth development, Sinha said efforts are being made to provide opportunities and resources that enable young people to contribute to the vision of a Viksit Bharat. “From the Ranji Trophy Championship to the ‘Nasha Mukt J&K’ campaign, our youth have demonstrated exceptional dedication in diverse fields. I am proud of their spirit and want their contribution to nation-building to be second to none,” he said.