Srinagar, Oct 9 (KNS): The National SnowShoe Coaching Camp-2026, organised to prepare Indian athletes for the World SnowShoe Championship scheduled to be held in Italy on January 5, 2027, concluded in Srinagar on Friday, with Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Dr G V Sundeep Chakravarthy, presiding over the closing ceremony.

The camp, organised by the Jammu and Kashmir SnowShoe Association under the aegis of the SnowShoe Federation of India (SSFI), brought together shortlisted athletes from Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.

The closing ceremony was held at Hotel Radisson Collection, Riverfront, Srinagar, where athletes, coaches and sports officials gathered to mark the conclusion of the training programme.

According to the organisers, athletes from outside Jammu and Kashmir were shortlisted on the basis of their performances at the 10th National SnowShoe Championship held at Sonamarg during the previous winter season.

During the camp, participants underwent specialised training under NIS-qualified coach Tahir Mir, who has been entrusted with coaching the Indian contingent for the upcoming World Championship. International SnowShoe athlete Muzamil Mir also participated in the training programme.

Addressing the gathering, SSP Srinagar Dr Chakravarthy welcomed the visiting athletes and expressed satisfaction over the participation of sportspersons from different states alongside local athletes.

"You are our guests, and I am happy to see young athletes from outside J&K joining our athletes for this camp being held in preparation for the World Championship," he said.

Highlighting the physical demands of SnowShoe running, the SSP said the discipline required exceptional endurance, fitness and dedication. Recalling his experience of witnessing SnowShoe athletes in Andhra Pradesh, he said he understood the effort and commitment required to excel in the sport.

He emphasised that sports played a significant role in promoting discipline, physical fitness and positive engagement among young people while helping keep them away from drug abuse and other harmful influences.

Dr Chakravarthy wished the athletes success in their preparations and expressed hope that the Indian contingent would perform well and bring laurels to the country at the World SnowShoe Championship in Italy.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Earlier, J&K SnowShoe Association President Tariq Ghani welcomed the SSP and appreciated his encouragement to athletes preparing for the international competition.

Ghani also congratulated Dr Chakravarthy on the recent success of Srinagar Police in busting a major narcotics network and acknowledged his support for sporting activities as a means of positively engaging young people.

Association Vice President Arif Laigaroo also appreciated the SSP's efforts towards sports promotion, saying extracurricular activities could play an important role in steering youth away from drugs and other social evils.

The SSP was received by Tariq Ghani, Arif Laigaroo, SSFI Vice President Harish Kumar and J&K SnowShoe Association Vice President Advocate Suhaib Mir.

Dr Meena Sharma, Member of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority, J&K SnowShoe Association General Secretary Dr Altaf ur Rehman, Chamber of Commerce officials and association members Reyaz Wani, Tahir Mir and Gulzar Khan were among those present.

During the ceremony, certificates of appreciation were distributed among athletes who had travelled from outside Jammu and Kashmir to participate in the coaching camp.

Several sportspersons, coaches and officials were also honoured for their contributions and achievements.

Those felicitated included coach Tahir Mir for his role in preparing the Indian contingent, international SnowShoe athlete Muzamil Mir, long-distance runner Zahid Rafiq Kota for documenting 200 alpine lakes across Kashmir and Ladakh, veteran watersports and survival expert Reyaz Wani and veteran Srinagar athlete Mushtaq.

Gurdeep Khokhar, Secretary of the Chandigarh Association, Amit, Secretary of the Delhi Association, and Diphi Jain, an official from Haryana, were also honoured during the ceremony.

The organisers said the coaching camp formed an important part of India's preparations for the World SnowShoe Championship-2027, providing athletes from different states an opportunity to train together and improve their competitive readiness ahead of the international event. (KNS)