The Additional District Development Commissioner, Ramban, Roshan Lal, today inaugurated the Inter-District Union Territory (UT) Level Chess Competition for Boys in the Under-17 and Under-19 categories at Batote.

The tournament organized by the Department of Youth Services & Sports (YS&S), Ramban, under the aegis of Director General YS&S, Rajinder Singh Tara, and in collaboration with the Ramban Administration led by Deputy Commissioner Baseer-Ul-Haq Choudhary, saw participation from 152 boys representing 19 districts of Jammu & Kashmir.

District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Jagdish Raj Sharma, emphasized that chess is gaining popularity among children, who are showing keen interest in the sport.

During the event, all participants, along with officers and teachers, took a pledge to display true sportsmanship and to abstain from drugs, reinforcing the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Addressing the participants, the ADDC encouraged them to compete confidently, urging them to maintain composure and demonstrate true sportsmanship. The winners of this championship will represent J&K in the upcoming National Chess Competition.