Baramulla, 30 June:- Our vision to establish Baramulla as sports capital of Kashmir: GoC Dagger Division
Baramulla, Jun 29:- The General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the 19 Infantry Division, Major General Manoj Joshi, on Monday said that sports provide the right direction to youth and can play a decisive role in making Baramulla a symbol of peace in Kashmir.
He emphasised the transformative power of sports in shaping society besides protecting young people from drug abuse, misinformation and violence.
In his address during the inaugural ceremony of the third edition of Varmul Gundo 3.0, Baramulla’s biggest multi-sport festival, the GoC Dagger Division said sports instill discipline, teamwork, resilience and positive thinking while keeping young minds engaged in constructive activities.
“An empty mind is the devil’s workshop. Sports give you a healthy body, a positive mind and make you a better human being. A true sportsperson never surrenders to drugs because he knows addiction will only weaken his performance,” he said.
The month-long festival, organised by the Dagger Division in collaboration with the J&K Sports Council and the District Youth Services & Sports Department, was inaugurated at Prof. Shoukat Ali Stadium under the theme “Tarjuman-e-Aman” (Messenger of Peace).
The inaugural ceremony was attended by MLA Gulmarg Farooq Ahmad Shah, MLA Baramulla Javid Hassan Baigh, MLA Wagoora-Kreeri Irfan Hafiz Lone, Commander TMG Brigade, Arjuna Awardee Rupali Patel Singh, senior officers of the Army, officials of the J&K Sports Council, civil administration, sportspersons, students and members of the local community.
Nearly 3,000 boys and girls from across Baramulla district are expected to participate in more than 20 sporting disciplines at over 15 venues during the month-long festival.
Talking about the growth of the event, Major General Joshi said the first edition had featured 13 sports disciplines with around 1,800 participants, while this year’s edition has expanded to over 20 disciplines with nearly 3,000 participants and is expected to attract between 25,000 and 30,000 spectators.
“Our vision is to establish Baramulla as the sports capital of Kashmir. Sports culture has the potential to transform the city and its youth,” he said.
The GoC recalled witnessing two major sporting events over the past two days, including the Baramulla Marathon and the final of the Hazil Memorial Cup, and termed both events as examples of the Valley’s growing sporting spirit.
Narrating an emotional moment from the Hazil Memorial Cricket Tournament, he said both the winning and runner-up teams chose to dedicate their trophies to the family of the late Hazil instead of taking them home.
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