Shopian, May 14: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday inaugurated the South Kashmir Volleyball League-2026 in Shopian and dedicated a newly constructed Multipurpose Sports Indoor Hall at Arhama to the youth.
The indoor facility, constructed at a cost of ₹4.94 crore, is aimed at strengthening sports infrastructure and providing modern training facilities for young athletes in the region.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor said that sports initiatives like the South Kashmir Volleyball League, which began in 2021, have now emerged as a major platform for youth engagement, competitive sports development, and promotion of volleyball across South Kashmir.
He said the league is also contributing significantly to the ‘Nasha Mukt J&K’ campaign by channeling youth energy into sports and positive social activities, helping in social transformation and drug prevention efforts.
The LG added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strong foundations have been laid to help youth realise their potential and compete at national and international levels.
He said that Shopian has become a key centre of South Kashmir’s sports revolution, with significant investments in infrastructure over the past six years. He noted that around ₹22 crore has been spent on sports development in the district, while ₹8.80 crore worth of works are currently ongoing.
The Lieutenant Governor further highlighted that 20 Khelo India centres are functional across South Kashmir, including five in Shopian, providing training and equipment to around 600 young sportspersons.
Calling upon youth to become role models, he urged them to guide others towards a drug-free and healthier future while helping strengthen the campaign against narcotics and narco-terror networks in Jammu and Kashmir.
The four-day volleyball league is being organised by the Volleyball Association J&K in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, and witnessed participation from senior civil, police, and sports administration officials along with a large number of youth.
