Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Thursday inaugurated a sports week to celebrate the Independence Day of the nation in Srinagar
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 6 : In this sports week, various sporting events will be organised across Jammu and Kashmir to celebrate the “Azaadi ka Amrut Mahotsav” in connection with 75 years of Independence. During the inauguration function, a girls’ Rugby exhibition match was played between the South Kashmir team and the Srinagar team at TRD Astroturf stadium. Sports lovers including players spread across various games participated in the function. The girl Rugby players lauded this step taken by Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council as it would help in enhancing their skills and show off their talents. Participating players hoped that such events will be held regularly. “I feel good. I play football though. Preparations for the exhibition match are going on nicely. These matches must take place regularly so that girls will get a chance to prove themselves,” said Suhaira Ashraf, a Rugby player participating in the match. Mehvish Rashid, another participant in the match said: “It feels really good that we are having such a match, especially after Covid. It is too much for us. We are happy that the governor is coming, we are proud that we have reached at this level. These tournaments do us a lot of benefit, our skills get enhanced. We are also watching and meeting with other teams.” Even the coaches expressed their happiness and gratitude for this event. Irfan Aziz, a Rugby coach said: “I’m the Chief Coach of Jammu and Kashmir Rugby. The opening match will be a rugby match. It will be played in front of the governor. It will feature teams from South Kashmir and Srinagar. Hope the kids are excited about the match. You must have seen that they have been waiting and working for this for a month. We should hold such matches regularly as sports and players bring such positive energy. It will motivate kids that the governor is coming to watch them play. A few days back, the Sports Minister paid a visit here and watched kids play.” Basit Ahmad, the coach of the Srinagar Rugby team expressed the importance of such events for the players. He said: “I’m the coach of Srinagar girls team. Sports events are important. Kids get to play and they get encouragement. There are so many people that have come here. Everyone is getting involved. Stadiums are being made, development is happening. It is beneficial for kids and coaches. Kids want that such events are held regularly since they work so hard and they want to show off their game. It is huge that a rugby match is being held in front of the governor. This encourages kids for the national level games. Such events must happen on ground level.” Lieutenant Governor, too, was happy with this event and surge in sports activities over the past few months. He said: “I’m very happy that since a few months the Sports Council and the Sports Department have increased sports activities and they have kept a motive of playing sports in every village and school every day. I hope this motive will get completed. Every day I read in newspapers that sports activities are being held in villages and it’s a positive sign.”
