Mountaineering Association of J&K Sets Out for 27th North Zone Sport Climbing Championship in Delhi

Jammu, September 29, 2023: A 12-member team representing the Mountaineering Association of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) embarked on a journey to Delhi today, with the aim of participating in the prestigious 27th North Zone Sport Climbing Championship, slated to be held at the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and Climb Central in Delhi from October 1st to 3rd, 2023. This talented team has undergone scrutiny and approval by the J&K State Sports Council.

Led by the seasoned sport climber Shilpa Charak, the senior-most athlete from J&K in this discipline, the team showcases a dynamic blend of 8 male and 3 female climbers, spanning across five categories: Men, Women, Junior Boys, Sub Junior Boys, and Sub Junior Girls. The Men’s and Women’s categories each feature one climber, while the Junior Boys and Sub Junior Boys categories consist of 4 and 3 climbers, respectively. The Sub Junior Girls category, on the other hand, comprises 2 climbers. The selection process for this team was based on the athletes’ performance in the J&K UT Sport Climbing Championship, district competitions, and their progress in the coaching camp.

The complete roster of climbers selected to represent J&K in the North Zone Championship is as follows:

Men: Arun Deep Singh

Women: Shilpa Charak

Sub Junior Boys:

1. 1. Kafeel Ul Haq (Pulwama)
   2. Aryan Rauthan (Army Public School, Damana, Jammu)
   3. Ankit Singh (St. Xavier Sr. Secondary School, Jammu)

Junior Boys:

1. 1. Kashish Bharti (Udhamour)
   2. Saksham Slathia (Sprawling Buds ICSE School, Jammu)
   3. Prince Thakur (National Academy High School, Udhampur)

Sub Junior Girls:

1. 1. Ayaana Bhagat (Sprawling Buds ICSE School, Jammu)
   2. Jeevika Verma (St. Xavier Sr. Secondary School, Jammu)

This revamped team, marked by a synergy of experienced climbers like Shilpa Charak and Arun Deep Singh, who have achieved numerous accolades at the zonal and national levels, and promising newcomers, is anticipated to deliver an impressive performance at the championship.

Shilpa Charak will assume the dual role of coach and player, while Syed Abdul Mohsin, Joint Secretary of the Kashmir division of the Mountaineering Association of J&K, serves as the team manager. The team’s endeavors are generously supported by the J&K Sports Council.

Following the North Zone competition, a 26-member team from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) North Zone Committee will be selected to participate in the National (Inter Zonal) Climbing Championship, scheduled for the last week of October.

Prior to their departure, the team received an emotional send-off from members of the Mountaineering Association of J&K and Tawi Trekkers J&K. Distinguished personalities present at the event included Anil Goswami, former Home Secretary of India, and Ashwani Sharma, a former MLA. Other notable attendees encompassed Ram Khajuria, Senior Vice President; Sumit Khajuria, Vice President; Shawetica Khajuria, General Secretary of the Mountaineering Association of J&K; Prof. C K Khajuria, Principal of Govt Degree College, Katra, and former General Secretary of the Mountaineering Association of J&K; Rakesh Goswami, President of the Jammu District Mountaineering Association; Anukampa Sharma, General Secretary of the Udhampur District Mountaineering Association; Mridhu Padha, Vice Principal of St. Xavier Sr. Sec. School, Barnai; Principal of National Academy High School, Udhampur; and Seema Kharyal, a senior member of Tawi Trekkers J&K.