Kargil: The 2nd CEC Cup Polo Tournament commenced in Leh, Ladakh on Wednesday.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig Dr BD Mishra (Retd.) in the presence of Chairman/CEC, Tashi Gyalson inaugurated the 2nd edition of the CEC Cup Polo Tournament at the historic Shagaran Polo ground at Chushot village in Leh.
The inaugural match was played between the Animal Husbandry Department and the Indus Polo Club Chushot. Councillor Chushot Mirza Hussain and HoDs of District Departments, heads of religious organisations, and representatives from tourism stakeholders attended the inaugural ceremony today.
Congratulating players from both teams and also the organisers for organising the event, LG Mishra commended Chairman LAHDC Leh for his initiatives for the development of Ladakh and also for the promotion of the region’s rich culture, heritage and traditions.
Terming polo as a traditional sport of Ladakh,’ LG highlighted the need to promote the game of polo by organising 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.
While addressing this, CEC Gyalson appreciated the enthusiasm of the athletes and the efforts of the organising committee for organising the 2nd edition of the CEC Cup Polo Tournament in Leh on the occasion of the Ladakh Polo Festival, 2023.
He appreciated the efforts of Councillor Chushot Mirza Hussain for collectively initiating and continuously following up on the conduct of this tournament.
He added that this has been initiated to revive the age-old traditions and continuously maintain communal harmony in the region. He further informed that the Hill Council, Leh is taking every possible step to revive traditional Polo in the region and envisioning establishing Race Course and Equestrian for which he sought assistance from the Lt Governor to ensure adequate infrastructure. He also urged for mass public participation in the coming days during the entire Ladakh Polo Festival, 2023.