KATHUA, Aug 21: The Inter-Zonal District-Level Tournament for Boys and Girls commenced at Sports Stadium Kathua with great enthusiasm and active participation of young athletes from across Kathua district. A total of 12 zones took part in the tournament, with students competing in various sporting disciplines, including Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Volleyball, Badminton, Cricket and Football.
The tournament was organised under the overall directions of the Director General, Youth Services & Sports, Anuradha Gupta, and under the supervision of District Youth Services & Sports Officer, Kathua, Sunil Kumar. The event provided an important platform for young players to demonstrate their sporting abilities, competitive spirit and teamwork.
Mahima Madan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Kathua, graced the occasion and interacted with the participating students. She encouraged the youth to stay away from drugs and make sports an integral part of their daily lives. She highlighted the importance of sports in developing discipline, physical fitness, confidence, teamwork and a healthy lifestyle.
Kewal Krishan, Chief Education Officer (CEO), Kathua, was also present on the occasion and motivated the young players to participate with dedication, discipline and true sportsmanship. He encouraged the students to make the best use of such opportunities to develop their skills and represent their district at higher levels.
The tournament witnessed enthusiastic participation from students across all 12 zones and showcased the growing sporting talent and potential among the youth of Kathua district. One of the major objectives of the tournament is to identify the best-performing players from the participating zones. Based on their performance, Kathua district teams will be constituted in respective disciplines to represent the district at Inter-District Divisional/Provincial-Level competitions.
The event also carried a strong message under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, motivating students to adopt a healthy, active and drug-free lifestyle. The organisers emphasised that active participation in sports can play an important role in keeping young people away from substance abuse and encouraging them to become responsible members of society.
In the U-19 Boys’ Kabaddi first semi-final, Zone Hiranagar defeated Zone Marheen by 21 points to secure its place in the next stage. In Volleyball, Zone Malhar defeated Zone Lakhanpur by 2–1 sets and secured a place in the final.
In Kho-Kho, Zone Lakhanpur defeated Zone Marheen by one inning and two points. In Football, Zone Sallan registered a 2–0 victory over Zone Basohli, while Zone Lakhanpur defeated Zone Billawar by 3–1 goals.
The winning teams from the day’s matches will play their respective next-round matches tomorrow as the tournament progresses towards its final stages. The competition is expected to provide further opportunities for talented young athletes to prove their abilities and earn selection for district-level teams.