LG attends closing ceremony of National School Games
JAMMU: Calling for a stronger social stand against extremist influences, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday urged the youth to rise against organisations and individuals involved in radicalisation in the Kashmir Valley.
LG Sinha was speaking at the closing ceremony of 69th National School Games-2025 organised by Department of Youth Services & Sports and School Games Federation of India (SGFI) at Jammu.
In his address, the Lieutenant Governor asked the youth to nurture the spirit of oneness and build a better world, free of discrimination.
“Young athletes are the architects of the nation’s destiny and they are responsible for promoting the spirit of national unity to build a golden future of this country. Youthful energy working for the national goals usher dynamism into the society,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor congratulated all the winners and participants. He also extended his felicitations to the teams’ management, coaches, and officials for the successful conduct of the National School Games.
“Dream big and have the courage to make those dreams come true. As role models, you hold a special place in society and have a huge responsibility to inspire the coming generations, both on and off the field. From the sports field to the grassroots level, you must continuously strive for progressive policies and social transformation through sports,” the Lieutenant Governor told the youth.
The Lieutenant Governor handed over trophies to the winners and other top performing teams and the players who excelled in the different games’ disciplines. He also released a Compendium of Department of Youth Services and Sports.
The Games successfully featured four disciplines: Football, Wushu, Taekwondo, and Table Tennis, drawing participation from athletes across 34 states and union territories.
Yasha Mudgal, Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Youth Services and Sports; Ms Anuradha Gupta, Director General Youth Services and Sports; senior officials, prominent sports personalities, and youth in large number attended the closing ceremony.
In recent years, Jammu and Kashmir has intensified youth-centric initiatives aimed at countering radicalisation through education, sports and community engagement. The administration has expanded sports infrastructure under centrally sponsored schemes, encouraging higher participation in national and state-level tournaments.
Officials said that structured sports activities have significantly increased in schools and district facilities over the past three years, offering young people constructive platforms for growth.
Security agencies have also attributed a noticeable decline in youth recruitment by militant outfits to sustained outreach, counselling programmes and district-level sports events that promote teamwork, discipline and a stronger sense of social belonging.
