SRINAGAR, Sept 18: A first cricket tournament of its kind in the militancy infested state, as many as 22 teams of women drawn from various universities of North India will be fighting it out at Kashmir University for the next two weeks.
The mega event was inaugurated Tuesday by varsity vice chancellor Prof Tala Ahmad on the lush green playing fields of the university, often wafted by cool breeze of nearby Dal Lake.
On the first day’s schedule of matches, Aligarh Muslim University clashed with Korukshetra University.
Upbeat for playing host to the ‘first ever event of this nature’, Prof Talat Ahmad said “ Sports are an important part of our curriculum and that this year KU will hold many winter sports events at Gulmarg and other places of the valley to give a boost to winter sports”.
Expressing happiness over the participation of 22 universities from north India, VC interacted with the participating sports women stressing that this ‘exchange will help sports persons to consolidate and share their experiences’.
“Another purpose of conducting this mega event is to inculcate spirit of sports among women in this part of the state so as to prepare them to compete at the national level,” Ahmad said.
Organized by the Directorate of Physical Education and Sports of the university, the event will conclude on 30th of September. The initiative is also supported by Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi.
“Hosting such events of national importance will not only promote and develop culture of sports amongst youth but can also be channelized to develop peace, harmony and cooperation while transcending barriers,” said Director Physical Education and Sports, Prof B A Khan.
The prominent Universities of north India participating in the mega event include ,Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, GND Amritsar, Punjab University Chandigarah, and Jammu University.
An observer from Association of India Universities, Ashok Singh will monitor the event for another 13 days.
