SRINAGAR: Inter-Battalion Sports Tournament-2015 was declared open by Director General of Police (DGP), K. Rajendra Kumar at a function held at Bakshi Stadium, here on Friday evening. About 1.200 sports personnel and athletes, representing 28 battalions of IRP and Armed Police, are participating in the five-day long tournament.
Inaugurating the mega sports event, Rajendra said that sports create camaraderie among the youth and helps them in maintaining their physical and mental fitness. He advised the youth to take part in the sports activities and avail the benefits of reservation provided by the government under sports category in competing different professional examinations.
He said that the tournament is an annual event in which sports personnel from the Battalions of IRP and Armed Police participate to excel their talent in varied disciplines including basketball, volleyball, football, handball, tug of war, boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, swimming, shooting, hockey, kabbadi, marathon, shot put, hammer throw, javelin throw, discuss throw, long jump and high jump.
Besides, sportspersons from officer ranks of the different battalions participate in badminton, table tennis, lawn tennis and shooting, he added.
Giving further details, Rajendra said that tournament is being played at different venues including Bakshi Stadium, Indoor Stadium, Polo-Ground, Armed Complex Zewan, Gundun Ground Rajbagh and Amar Singh College. All the events of the tournament are being played on knock out basis as per the rules laid down by All India Police Sports Control Board. During the tournament, 17 types of games will be played by gazetted ranks in four events viz badminton, table tennis, lawn tennis and shooting while as the other ranks will participate in rest of 13 events.
Elaborating the importance of sports, the DGP said that the tournament is organized with the aim to create sportsmanship among the personnel to enhance their discipline and talent. He said that the occasion also creates a team spirit among the participants to face any hostile situation in day-to-day activities. The tournament helps the organisers to identify the talented sports person to form a strong contingent which could represent the Armed Zone in the Inter Zone Tournament being organized by JKP annually. The selected players also go ahead to represent the Organization at other national and international competitions, he maintained.
DGP appreciated the role played by Armed Police in law and order and extending relief to people. He said whenever testing times dawn upon the society jawans and officers of Armed Police have risen to the occasion to provide much needed succour to the people. He lauded the efforts of ADGP Armed, S.M Sahai and his team of officers for organizing such mega event in summer capital.
Earlier, welcoming the Chief Guest and participants, the IGP (IR) Kashmir, Sunil Kumar, who is also Organizing Secretary, gave a brief resume of the tournament. He said that to make the event a success the organizing committee had made good arrangements for maintenance of playing fields and also proper sanitation in and around the venues. He said that the sports activities have been proving much effective in boosting the morale and physical fitness of the police personnel.
Among others, the function was attended by ADsGP, S.K Mishra, S.P Vaid, Dilbagh Singh and L Mohanty, IsGP, Dr. B Srinivas, A.K Choudhary, H.K Lohia, Deepak Kumar, S.J.M Geelani, A.G Mir, M.S Salaria, Yoginder Koul, M.A Khan, Jagjit Kumat, S.A Watali, M.A Ganai and J.P Singh, Director SSG, S.A Mujtaba, DIG, SKR, G.H Bhat Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, F.A Lone and Commandants of Armed and IRP battalions.