Over 500 athletes from 25 states: For the first time ever, Kashmir Valley’s Dal Lake is all set to host Khelo India Water sports festival
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Over 500 athletes from 25 states: For the first time ever, Kashmir Valley’s Dal Lake is all set to host Khelo India Water sports festival")
Over 500 athletes from 25 states: For the first time ever, Kashmir Valley’s Dal Lake is all set to host Khelo India Water sports festival Photograph: ((Image: Idrees Lone))
For the first time, Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025 will be organised on Kashmir's Dal Lake. Over 500 athletes from across the country will be seen participating in the events.
For the first time ever, Srinagar's world-famous Dal Lake is hosting Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025. More than 500 water sports athletes from around 28 States and Union Territories across India are participating in the Event. The event will start from August 21 to August 23.
Srinagar is all set to witness one of the biggest water sports events on Dal Lake. Athletes from across every state in the country have landed in the Valley to participate in the event. Dal Lake has been fully laced with a one Km tracks for around eight water sports games that will be held.
''It’s a dream come true. Jammu and Kashmir is hosting such an event for the very first time. It is the first ever Khelo India water sports festival where More than 28 states and union territories are taking part. We've got 16 medals. It will be a full day event for the next three days. On the very first day, We have more than 11 races. It’s not only a sports event, but also a tourism promotion. I can tell you that the lake will be the hub of water sports in future. Around 500 athletes, both canoeing and rowing, are participating. It will help the water spots and the youngsters in Kashmir Valley, and it will also give a message to the country that Kashmir is ready for hosting national and International events. '' said Bilquis Mir, Coach Water Sports.
Kashmir Valley has hosted five Khelo India Winter Games so far. All the winter games events have been a huge success and according to the officials, it was the performance in the winter games that led to the sports ministry deciding to hold the Khelo India water sports festival in Srinagar.
''It means huge. It has a lot of connotations. Jammu Kashmir has hosted 5 Khelo India Winter Games. And now the sports ministry thought about the first water sports Khelo India event and Kashmir was chosen for it. It talks about the huge potential of Jammu and Kashmir and organising the capacity of the Sports Council. It also provides a huge platform and has a huge inspirational value. There around 150 water sports athletes volunteered for the function. We have school kids who have come to volunteer here. We have a lot of technical officials from different states. Seeing them playing in these games and bringing huge laurels will be a huge inspiration value for the youngsters, '' said Nuzhat Gul, Secretary JK Sports Council.
The athletes from across 28 states and Union Territories are participating in the Khelo India Water Sports Event in Srinagar. 500 athletes have landed in Srinagar to fight for 16 medals. The event will have 16 events for the next three days and participants are very excited to be participating in the event.
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''It’s my first time in Kashmir Valley. I played Khelo India national International games. I was not sure whether this would happen in Kashmir but coming to Kashmir and seeing a very clean and beautiful lake and participating in the tournament. Here it is just amazing. The weather is also very great. We are practising today as the festival starts tomorrow. Kashmir has all the potential to host national and international events. The course of the lake is absolutely great, '' said HarshWardhan Singh Shaktawat, Participant, Uttarakhand.
Not only are these athletes excited about the event but also all praises for Kashmir's beauty and Dal Lake. These athletes say they think they are participating in an event in heaven. With Zabarwan mountains encircling the lake, everyone is mesmerised with the beauty of the event place.
''I have come here to participate in the Khelo India water sports festival. I’ve come to Kashmir before, and I love Srinagar. It’s very beautiful to hold a sports event. Here is such a great thing to do as we get to see the great place and also hold the spot event. The course that has been made is really great and I’m sure for international events 2 km course can be made on the lake, '' said Arunpreet Kaur, Orissa, Participant. The festival is expected to have a positive impact on the local economy and tourism industry which was highly impacted after the Pahalgam terror attack.
