Srinagar, June 28 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council Nuzhat Gull expressed her deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the central government approved the establishment of the Union Territory’s first-ever National Centre of Excellence (NCOE).

Over the past few years, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a major surge in sporting achievements on national and international stages, a momentum that the new Centre of Excellence aims to strengthen.

“Our vision is to make Jammu & Kashmir a leading sporting Union Territory not just in winter sports, but across disciplines. We want structured grassroots programmes, professional coaching, scientific training methods and international exposure.”

“Sports should contribute to social development—generating employment, promoting tourism and providing constructive engagement for youth. Today, our athletes are not just participating; they are competing and winning. Our mission is to create better sports infrastructure, empower youth, and build a brighter future for Jammu & Kashmir.”

“We are highly thankful to the PM Narendra Modi for sanctioning the first-ever NCOE for Jammu and Kashmir, which will greatly contribute to the professional sports across J&K,” she said.

Since assuming charge as secretary of the JJ&K Sports Council in 2021, Nuzhat has led effort to strengthen sports infrastructure, expand grassroots participation, create opportunities for young athletes, and position the Union Territory as a national sporting destination.

Under her tenure, the sport council expanded training programmes into districts and rural areas, ensuring that children from remote regions received structured coaching and competitive exposure rather than focusing only on elite athletes.

As the first woman to lead the Sports Council, Nuzhat’s tenure has seen continued encouragement of female participation across sporting disciplines, increased visibility for women athletes, and greater emphasis on creating safe and inclusive sporting environments.

Sports infrastructure was revitalised across the Union Territory, with stadiums, indoor halls, Khelo India coaching centres and playing fields becoming more accessible. The Council also encouraged year-round activity by opening sports facilities for community use, including extending access into evening hours so that students and working youth could train regularly.

Under her leadership, Jammu & Kashmir has emerged as a respected host for prestigious sporting events, which includes the successful organisation of the Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg, showcasing the region’s ability to conduct world-class competitions. The Sports Council has also welcomed national football camps and numerous national and International championships across different disciplines

There has been the increasing success of J&K athletes across disciplines, including winter sports, football, martial arts, athletics, cricket, boxing, wrestling, fencing, Taekwondo, judo and many others, as athletes from the Union Territory have consistently secured medals at national and international competitions, courtesy tp the the strengthened support system created by the Sports Council, which has provided improved infrastructure, coaching, exposure, and opportunities for athletes to compete at higher levels.

–IANS

bc/