Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today attended the first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival held at Dal Lake, describing the event as a “historic moment that blends the spirit of sports with the natural beauty of Kashmir.”

The festival, which draws over 800 participants was attended by Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister for Youth Services and Sports Satish Sharma, Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq, besides dignitaries from the Central Government and senior officials of the J&K administration.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir shares a long association with Khelo India, having hosted the Winter Games in Gulmarg five times. “When we hear Khelo India, winter immediately comes to mind because we have grown up playing in the snow. But today, it is a matter of immense pride that Dal Lake is hosting the first-ever Water Sports Festival under Khelo India,” he said.

Calling Dal Lake the “identity of Srinagar,” Omar Abdullah said the lake has nurtured generations through livelihoods, leisure, and adventure, citing the traditions of water skiing and the famed Dal Cross swimming challenge as symbols of Kashmir’s deep-rooted bond with water sports.

Emphasizing the value of sportsmanship, he said, “Not everyone may win today, but each participant will carry home the joy of competing, of being part of history, and of celebrating the true spirit of sports.”

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the festival would open new avenues for the youth of J&K and mark the beginning of many such events in the Valley.