National Sports News Service

On behalf of the National Sports Club, Rajbagh, Srinagar, I extend my deepest and heartfelt gratitude to each and every member of our Club for their dedication, commitment, hard work and tireless cooperation in making the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026 a grand and memorable success.

I place on record my sincere appreciation to the esteemed leadership of Hockey J&K — President Mr. Gurdeep Singh Sangral, General Secretary Dr. Taran Singh, and Chief Patron Mr. Rajeev Sharma Sahib — for their valuable guidance, encouragement and unwavering support throughout the festival.

My heartfelt thanks also go to all the respective Sports Associations, officials, coaches, technical staff, volunteers and members of the sporting fraternity who contributed their valuable time, expertise and cooperation towards the smooth and successful conduct of this prestigious event.

SPECIAL GRATITUDE TO SCHOLARS SCHOOL

A very special and heartfelt word of appreciation goes to the Managing Committee of Scholars School, Dara Harwan, Srinagar.

We are deeply grateful for the exceptional hospitality, cooperation, facilities and wholehearted support extended by the School Management throughout the festival. Their excellent coordination and generous cooperation played a pivotal role in making the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026 a truly successful and memorable sporting occasion.

Above all, I extend my sincere thanks to all the children, parents, teachers, coaches, officials and every individual associated with the festival. Your enthusiasm, participation and sporting spirit gave this festival its true meaning and purpose.

The success of the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026 is not the achievement of one individual or one organisation. It is a collective achievement of everyone who came together with one common vision — to promote sports, identify and nurture young talent, encourage healthy lifestyles, and keep our children connected with a positive, disciplined and constructive sporting environment.

With deepest respect, sincere appreciation and heartfelt gratitude, I thank each and every one of you for making this festival a grand success.

May we continue to work together for the promotion and development of sports and for a brighter sporting future for our children.

With Warm Regards & Deepest Gratitude

Raja Ghulam Nabi Wani
Secretary
National Sports Club, Rajbagh, Srinagar

On behalf of the National Sports Club, Rajbagh, Srinagar, I extend my deepest and heartfelt gratitude to each and every member of our Club for their dedication, commitment, hard work and tireless cooperation in making the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026 a grand and memorable success.

I place on record my sincere appreciation to the esteemed leadership of Hockey J&K — President Mr. Gurdeep Singh Sangral, General Secretary Dr. Taran Singh, and Chief Patron Mr. Rajeev Sharma Sahib — for their valuable guidance, encouragement and unwavering support throughout the festival.

My heartfelt thanks also go to all the respective Sports Associations, officials, coaches, technical staff, volunteers and members of the sporting fraternity who contributed their valuable time, expertise and cooperation towards the smooth and successful conduct of this prestigious event.

SPECIAL GRATITUDE TO SCHOLARS SCHOOL

A very special and heartfelt word of appreciation goes to the Managing Committee of Scholars School, Dara Harwan, Srinagar.

We are deeply grateful for the exceptional hospitality, cooperation, facilities and wholehearted support extended by the School Management throughout the festival. Their excellent coordination and generous cooperation played a pivotal role in making the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026 a truly successful and memorable sporting occasion.

Above all, I extend my sincere thanks to all the children, parents, teachers, coaches, officials and every individual associated with the festival. Your enthusiasm, participation and sporting spirit gave this festival its true meaning and purpose.

The success of the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026 is not the achievement of one individual or one organisation. It is a collective achievement of everyone who came together with one common vision — to promote sports, identify and nurture young talent, encourage healthy lifestyles, and keep our children connected with a positive, disciplined and constructive sporting environment.

With deepest respect, sincere appreciation and heartfelt gratitude, I thank each and every one of you for making this festival a grand success.

May we continue to work together for the promotion and development of sports and for a brighter sporting future for our children.

With Warm Regards & Deepest Gratitude

Raja Ghulam Nabi Wani
Secretary
National Sports Club, Rajbagh, Srinagar

Inaugural Function – 3-Day Kashmir Theatre Conference
Srinagar, 11th September 2026
The day commenced with an academic paper-reading session at 11:00 a.m., setting an intellectual tone for the conference. This was followed by an interactive and brainstorming discussion on “75 Years of the History of Theatre in Kashmir.” Four eminent experts presented their research-based papers, including Hasrat Gadda, Gouri Shankar Raina, Basheer Bhawani, Dr. Aiyash Arif, and Ravi Kemmu. Their presentations were highly informative, offering fresh insights into the evolution of Kashmiri theatre and putting forth important suggestions to enhance its quality and relevance in contemporary times. The attendees engaged actively in the interaction, making the session both stimulating and productive.
The Inaugural Function of the Conference was held with great enthusiasm and cultural fervor at 4:00 p.m. The session began with a warm welcome extended by Seyad Humayun Qaisar and Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan, who greeted the distinguished guests and dignitaries.
Among the Guests of Honour were Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah (Hon’ble MLA Tangmarg), Dr. Rafi, Roma Wani, Dr. Shafia Wani, Basheer Bhawani, and Shoqia Quraishi. The Chief Guest of the occasion was Jenab Mian Altaf Ahmad Larvi, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Anantnag–Rajouri), whose presence lent immense prestige to the event.
The proceedings commenced with the traditional Kashmiri ritual of ‘Isband Sozi’, symbolizing purity and auspicious beginnings. Thereafter, all the Guests of Honour and the Chief Guest were felicitated with a traditional shawl and a memento, as a gesture of respect and gratitude.
Each of the dignitaries addressed the gathering, offering words of appreciation for the remarkable contribution of Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan and the dedicated team of ACT FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. Their speeches underscored the importance of cultural initiatives in strengthening the artistic fabric of Kashmir and acknowledged the tireless efforts of the organizers in bringing theatre and performing arts to the forefront.
The cultural segment of the inaugural session featured the popular Kashmiri folk dance ‘ROFF’, performed with elegance and vibrancy. The performance enthralled the audience and evoked the rich traditions of the Valley.
The evening concluded with the staging of the Kashmiri play “Zu Qadam Kaithis Taam”, a powerful and thought-provoking theatrical presentation. The play was met with wide appreciation and applause, leaving a lasting impression on the audience and setting a high standard for the sessions to follow in the Conference.

The National Sports Club, Rajbagh, Srinagar, has expressed its sincere gratitude to all players, coaches, officials, schools, parents, volunteers, guests, organising members and media personnel for their valuable support in making the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026 a grand success.

Speaking to media persons after the closing ceremony, the Secretary, National Sports Club, said that the overwhelming response from the sports fraternity of Jammu & Kashmir has led to a major expansion plan for the upcoming Kashmir Gold Cup 2026–27.

«“It was the strong demand of the sports fraternity and people of Jammu & Kashmir that more sporting disciplines should be included in the Kashmir Gold Cup. We are pleased to accept this demand and have decided to add two more Olympic sports disciplines to the Kashmir Gold Cup 2026–27.”»

He said the expanded Kashmir Gold Cup 2026–27 will provide a larger and more competitive platform for boys and men from Jammu & Kashmir and across India, with participation from outside India also being planned.

A meeting of the organising body will be convened shortly to finalise the two additional Olympic disciplines and the competition structure.

The Secretary said the objective is to make the Kashmir Gold Cup 2026–27 bigger, stronger and more competitive, while providing young sporting talent with greater exposure and opportunities at the national and international level.

«“The Kashmir Gold Cup belongs to the sporting community. Their demand is our priority, and we are committed to fulfilling it.”»

The National Sports Club once again thanked all stakeholders, particularly the participating schools, sports associations, coaches, officials, parents, volunteers and media fraternity, for their contribution to the success of the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026.

Press secretary
National Sports Club

🏆 SCHOLARS SCHOOL, DARA HARWAN EMERGES TOP IN JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP AT SRINAGAR SPORTS FESTIVAL 2026

Srinagar, September 7, 2026: Scholars School, Dara Harwan, delivered an outstanding performance in the Junior Swimming Championship at the Srinagar Sports Festival 2026, emerging as the top-performing school and showcasing exceptional talent, discipline and competitive spirit among its young swimmers.

The Srinagar Sports Festival 2026 was organised by the National Sports Club, Rajbagh, Srinagar, under the aegis of Hockey Jammu & Kashmir and other affiliated sports associations.

*Scenes From Royal Prameir League Pulwama Match Stopped Due To Over Crowd.*

HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS!

The J&K Players Olympic Association extends its heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Ms. Tazayun Mukhtar, JKAS, on her appointment as the new Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council.

We wish her a successful tenure and hope that her leadership will bring renewed impetus, opportunities and further growth to the development and promotion of sports across Jammu & Kashmir.

Best wishes for a successful tenure!

— J&K Players Olympic Association

🏆🇦🇷 HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS TO ARGENTINA — WOMEN’S HOCKEY WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 2026! 🇦🇷🏆

Heartiest congratulations to the Argentina Women’s Hockey Team — Las Leonas on winning the prestigious FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026.

Argentina defeated the Netherlands 3–1 in a shoot-out after a thrilling 1–1 draw in the final to become Women’s Hockey World Champions for the third time.

🌍🏑 WOMEN’S HOCKEY WORLD CUP — COMPLETE CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD

The 2026 edition was the 16th Women’s Hockey World Cup, with the tournament first held in 1974.

🏆 Netherlands — 9 World Cup Titles
1974, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1990, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022

🏆 Argentina — 3 World Cup Titles
2002, 2010, 2026

🏆 Australia — 2 World Cup Titles
1994, 1998

🏆 Germany — 2 World Cup Titles
1976, 1981

📊 TOTAL: 16 Women’s Hockey World Cups
🇳🇱 Netherlands — 9
🇦🇷 Argentina — 3
🇦🇺 Australia — 2
🇩🇪 Germany — 2

🇦🇷 With their magnificent 2026 triumph, Las Leonas have now won their third Women’s Hockey World Cup, joining the Netherlands, Australia and Germany among the tournament’s historic champions.

The victory is even more remarkable as Argentina defeated the defending champions Netherlands in a dramatic final and ended their run of three consecutive World Cup titles.

👏 Heartiest congratulations to all the players, coaches, support staff, officials and the entire Argentina Hockey family on this outstanding and historic achievement.

🌎🏆 ARGENTINA — WOMEN’S HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONS 2026! 🇦🇷

Ms. Tazayun Mukhtar, JKAS is new Secretary Sports Council

🏑🏆 HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS TO GERMANY — WORLD CHAMPIONS 2026 🇩🇪

Heartiest congratulations to the German Men’s Hockey Team on their magnificent triumph in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026.

Germany displayed exceptional courage, discipline, tactical excellence and an unbreakable fighting spirit to defeat Spain 1–0 in the grand final and successfully retain the World Cup title. 🏆🇩🇪

This historic victory takes Germany to 4 Men’s Hockey World Cup titles, putting them level with Pakistan as the joint-most successful nation in World Cup history.

🏆 ALL-TIME WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS

🥇 Pakistan — 4 Titles
1971 • 1978 • 1982 • 1994

🥇 Germany — 4 Titles
2002 • 2006 • 2023 • 2026

🥈 Australia — 3 Titles
1986 • 2010 • 2014

🥈 Netherlands — 3 Titles
1973 • 1990 • 1998

🏆 Belgium — 1 Title
2018

🏆 India — 1 Title
1975

🌍 15 Men’s Hockey World Cups have now been held since the inaugural tournament in 1971.

🇩🇪 Germany and Pakistan now jointly occupy the top position with four World Cup titles each.

A remarkable achievement for German hockey and a proud moment for the sport worldwide.

Congratulations to Germany on becoming World Champions once again! 🇩🇪🏆

Long Live Hockey! 🏑🌍