The 12th J&K Union Territory Shooting Championship got off to a glittering start on Wednesday at SMVD Sports Complex in Katra. The championship will conclude on 5 August.

Mahamandleshwar Shri Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj, Member of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, inaugurated the tournament in the presence of Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB and SS Sodhi, President Jammu and Kashmir Rifle Association (JKRA).

The Championship is being organized by Jammu and Kashmir Rifle Association in collaboration with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board under the aegis of National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

In all, 150 participants from different parts of JK-UT are participating in the four days long various categories of shooting events.

Chief Guest Mahamandleshwar Shri Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj was invited to JK-UT to receive Kailakh Sanskrit Ratna Puraskar for his immense contributions towards promotion of Sanskrit and spiritual institutions.

While speaking on the occasion he said that it is a matter of pride that players nurtured at SMVD Sports Complex is putting Jammu & Kashmir UT on the world map.

He exhorted that the Shrine Board under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, JK-UT has been encouraging the youth and providing them a platform to showcase their talents by establishing such complexes.

Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB, in his address dwelt on the aims and objectives of setting up of the Sports Complex, while adding that SMVDSB Sports Complex established in the year 2016 with an aim to identify the talent in the region so that they can trained and groomed in the identified key sports to excel and bring laurels in sports events held at various levels.

While appreciating the decision of Jammu and Kashmir Rifle Association for conducting shooting championship in collaboration with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sports Complex at Katra, CEO urged them to provide an experienced coach so that the performance level of the sportspersons in shooting being nurtured at SMVDSB Sports Complex be enhanced.

The CEO on the occasion underscored the Para Archers of Sports Complex who created new world records at Pilsen Para World Archery Championship – 2023 and won five medals in the recently concluded Para Archery World Ranking Tournament held at Czech Republic.

The CEO exhorted about upgradation in Khelo India Talent Development in the Archery (Boys and Girls) Discipline at the Sports Complex from the Non-Residential Category to the Residential category and grant of scholarship to the sports persons with an aim to create an ecosystem and promotion of excellence in SMVDSB Sports Complex.

On the occasion, the three Para Archers Rakesh Kumar, Sarita and Sheetal Devi who created the new world records and booked their slots for the Paris 2024 Paralympics were honoured alongwith their coaches from SMVD Sports Complex.