1st Fateh Cup Football Tournament kicks off in Kargil

Kargil, Nov 9: The 1st Fateh Cup Football Tournament 2025 began with great enthusiasm at the Astro Turf Ground in Khel Gaon, Kurbathang, Kargil, on Sunday.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by the Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of LAHDC Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, as the Chief Guest, while Tahir Hussain Zubdavi, Joint Director of Youth Services and Sports, UT Ladakh, attended as the Guest of Honour.  The tournament is organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports, UT Ladakh, in collaboration with the Kargil Football Association under the aegis of the Ladakh Football Association and supported by the Indian Army.

The tournament aims to honour the bravery and supreme sacrifices of the soldiers who laid down their lives for the nation during the Kargil conflicts of 1948 and 1999.

A total of eight leading football clubs from Kargil are participating in this inaugural edition, marking a significant step forward in the promotion of football and youth engagement in the region.

Prominent attendees at the event included Issa Khan, Accounts Officer; Anayat Ali, General Secretary, Ladakh Taekwondo Association; Hani Hanifa, President, Kargil Football Association; Abdul Hamid; Mohammad Ibrahim Shoqi; sports officials; players; and local enthusiasts.

In his address, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon commended the organisers for their initiative and extended his gratitude to the Department of Youth Services and Sports and the Indian Army for their collaboration in making the event possible. He remarked that it is a proud moment to present the spirit of patriotism in the form of sports, adding, “The sacrifice of our soldiers is invaluable, and organising such tournaments is a befitting tribute to their memory.”