Doda, June 4: The Inter-Zonal District Level Tournament commenced today at the Indoor Stadium Doda, bringing together young athletes from across the district.

The tournament was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Doda, Krishan Lal in the presence of District Youth Services and Sports Officer (DYSSO), Ashok Kumar, officials of the Department of Youth Services and Sports, players, coaches and sports enthusiasts.
The event is being organised under the guidance of Anuradha Gupta, Director General Youth Services and Sports J&K and Inderjit Singh Parihar, Joint Director Youth Services and Sports Jammu with overall supervision by DYSSO Doda Ashok Kumar.
The Deputy Commissioner congratulated the Department of Youth Services and Sports for organising the tournament and encouraged participants to uphold the values of discipline, dedication, teamwork and sportsmanship. He emphasised that sports play a vital role in character building, promoting physical fitness and channelling the energy of youth towards constructive pursuits.
The opening ceremony began with the National Anthem, followed by the administration of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Pledge, wherein all participants pledged to stay away from drug abuse and other social evils.
The tournament features players representing ten zones of District Doda: Assar, Ghat, Gundna, Bhalessa, Bhagwah, Doda, Bhalla, Thathri, Bhaderwah and Bhatyas. The event aims to promote a sporting culture, foster healthy competition and identify talented athletes for participation at higher levels.
In the inaugural match, Zone Bhaderwah defeated Zone Bhatyas by 21 points. Aditya of Zone Bhaderwah earned special recognition for achieving the first Super Ten of the tournament.
In the second match, Zone Ghat defeated Zone Gundna by 13 points in a competitive contest.
The matches were officiated by an experienced panel comprising PELs, PEMs, PETs and REK Teachers, ensuring fair and smooth conduct of the competitions.