 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 29: A 12-member team representing the Mountaineering Association of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) left today for Delhi to participate in the 27th North Zone Sport Climbing Championship, scheduled to be held at the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and Climb Central in Delhi from October 1st to 3rd, 2023. The team has received the endorsement of the J&K State Sports Council.
The newly constituted team, led by Shilpa Charak, the most senior sport climber from J&K, consists of 8 boys and 3 girls competing in five categories: Men, Women, Junior Boys, Sub Junior Boys, and Sub Junior Girls. While only one climber has been selected in each of the Men's and Women's categories, there are 4 climbers in the Junior Boys category, 3 in the Sub Junior Boys category, and 2 in the Sub Junior Girls category. The team's selection was based on the climbers' performance in the J&K UT Sport Climbing Championship, district competitions, and their progress during coaching camps.
The following is the list of climbers selected to represent J&K in the North Zone Championship:
Men:
Arun Deep Singh
Women:
Shilpa Charak
Sub Junior Boys:
Kafeel Ul Haq of Pulwama
Aryan Rauthan of Army Public School, Damana, Jammu.
Ankit Singh of St. Xavier Sr. Secondary School, Jammu.
Junior Boys:
Kashish Bharti of Udhamour.
Saksham Slathia of Sprawling Buds ICSE School, Jammu.
Prince Thakur of National Academy High School, Udhampur.
Sub Junior Girls:
Ayaana Bhagat of Sprawling Buds ICSE School, Jammu.
Jeevika Verma of St. Xavier Sr. Secondary School, Jammu
The team represents a combination of experienced climbers and fresh talents. While Shilpa Charak and Arun Deep bring a wealth of experience with numerous medals at the zonal and national levels, the other climbers, although talented, will be competing at the zonal level for the first time. The team is expected to perform admirably.
Shilpa Charak will serve as the coach-cum-player, while Syed Abdul Mohsin, Joint Secretary of the Kashmir division of the Mountaineering Association of J&K, will manage the team. The team's sponsorship has been provided by the J&K Sports Council.
Following the North Zone competition, a 26-member team from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation North Zone Committee will be selected to participate in the National (Inter Zonal) Climbing Championship, scheduled for the last week of October.
The team received an emotional farewell from members of the Mountaineering Association of J&K and Tawi Trekkers J&K, with Anil Goswami, former Home Secretary of India, and Ashwani Sharma, a former MLA, leading the send-off. Distinguished individuals present at the occasion included Ram Khajuria, Sr. Vice President; Sumit Khajuria, Vice President; Shawetica Khajuria, General Secretary of Mountaineering Association of J&K; Prof. C K Khajuria, Principal, Govt Degree College, Katra; Rakesh Goswami, President, Jammu District Mountaineering Association; Anukampa Sharma, General Secretary Udhampur District Mountaineering Association; the Vice Principal of St. Xavier Sr. Sec. School, Barnai, Mridhu Padha; the Principal of National Academy High School, Udhampur, and Seema Kharyal, a senior member of Tawi Trekkers J&K. |
