Excelsior Sports Correspondent
LEH, July 12 Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) and First Lady Neelam Mishra today attended the opening ceremony of the 2nd CEC Cup Polo Tournament being held at Shagaran, Chuchot Gongma, as the chief guest.
Chairman, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, Tashi Gyalson and Councillor, Chuchot, Mirza Hussain were present during the event. Lieutenant Governor performed the throw-in ceremony to signal the commencement of the opening match between Indus Polo Club Chuchot and the Animal Husbandry Department.
Congratulating players from both teams and also the organizers for organizing the event, Lieutenant Governor commended the Chairman of LAHDC Leh for his initiatives for the development of Ladakh and also for the promotion of the region’s rich culture, heritage and traditions. He stated that the Administration’s focus is providing quality education along with employment opportunities to the Ladakhi youth. Stating that ‘our youth will take Ladakh forward,’ he also informed about efforts being made by the Administration to provide more jobs to the youth through the notification of Recruitment Rules for various gazetted posts and also by filling up posts for non-gazetted posts through Staff Selection Commission and SSRB.
Lieutenant Governor informed about various measures being taken by the Administration to procure hi-tech equipment at health institutions to provide good health services to the public. He also informed about his plans and efforts being made to make Ladakh a Corruption, Delay and Drug-Free union territory. He further informed about the Administration’s plan along with both the Hill Councils to celebrate the UT Ladakh Foundation Day in a grand way by sending groups of young boys and girls to all the states and Union Territories to showcase the region’s unique and centuries-old culture, heritage and tradition.
Terming polo as ‘a traditional sport of Ladakh,’ LG highlighted the need to promote the game of polo by organizing the LG Cup Polo Tournament in Leh also during the Ladakh Festival in which teams from different parts of India would be invited to take part. He stated that this initiative will also attract tourists and boost tourism activities in different parts of Ladakh. He sought cooperation from the public in organising a high-standard polo tournament.
Lieutenant Governor interacted with the players and commended the female horse riders for their performance in the horse-riding display.
Chairman, LAHDC Leh, Tashi Gyalson informed the LG that the main objective of the event is to revive polo as the traditional sport of Ladakh and to provide a platform to the polo players since polo is an integral part of Ladakh’s culture. He also informed about various initiatives taken by LAHDC Leh for the promotion of polo by providing subsidies for the purchase of horses, gears/saddles, etc so that the sport could be promoted among future generations. He shared the plan to set up a race course in Ladakh to promote equestrianism in Ladakh. Gyalson informed that women’s teams had also participated in the first edition of the CEC Cup Polo Tournament. Renowned singers from Ladakh- Dorjay Stakmo and Kunzes Dolma performed during the event. The auspicious Apo-Api dance was also performed on the occasion.
Elected representatives, Government officials, villagers and school students were present during the opening ceremony of the tournament.
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