IUST emerges victorious; students thank Police District Awantipora

PAMPORE: Police District Awantipora organized a District Level Badminton Tournament for girls from different parts of the district on Thursday to promote sports and community engagement.
The event, held at the Indoor hall of GDC Pampore as part of the Civic Action Programme, saw enthusiastic participation from players across the region.
The tournament was inaugurated by SDPO Awantipora (SP) Mumtaz Ali Bhatti, SDPO Pampore Krishan Rattan and other officials.
A total of 8 teams, along with coaches, representing the police district Awantipora, showcased their skills and sportsmanship throughout the competition. More than just a sporting event, the District Level Badminton Championship served as a platform for fostering healthy competition and camaraderie among participants.
It provided an opportunity for individuals from diverse backgrounds to come together, bond over their shared love for the sport, and celebrate their talents on the court, SDPO Awantipora (SP) Mumtaz Ali Bhatti said.
He said the tournament not only highlighted exceptional sporting talent but also underscored the importance of community engagement in promoting a culture of sportsmanship and unity. “Through such initiatives, the Police District Awantipora aims to encourage active participation in sports while nurturing a sense of belonging and solidarity within the community,” he said.
Overall, the District Level Badminton Tournament was a resounding success, leaving a positive impact on both the participants and the community at large, the police officer added.
The officer along with SDPO Pampore Krishan Rattan distributed a cash price of Rs 5,000 with a trophy to the winning team and 3000 with a trophy to the runner-up team. Trophies and medals were also distributed to the referees and among the participants.
Kashmir Reader Correspondent Bilal Habib was also felicitated by Police District Awantipora during the function.
The SDPO Awantipora added, “Today a girls’ badminton tournament was organized here under the Civic Action Programme. A total of 8 teams participated, including students from GDC Awantipora, Polytechnic College Awantipora, and IUST Awantipora, with great enthusiasm and spirit. The team from IUST Awantipora emerged as the winner, while the team from Polytechnic College Awantipora secured the runner-up position.”
He said the tournament was organized as part of our Jammu and Kashmir Police’s initiative to promote sports among children and encourage them. The tournament was a great success, with participants enthusiastically taking part and showcasing their talents, he added.
Ayesha Arshid from Anantnag, a student of IUST Awantipora, said, “We were invited here for the badminton tournament, specifically organized for girls by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. I would like to express my gratitude to the Awantipora Police District for inviting us, and we are very pleased to have conducted matches here today. I hope that such matches continue to be organized for girls in badminton and other sports in the future.”
Similarly, Ameesha Kainat said she came here to play badminton from IUST Awantipora for an inter-college badminton tournament. “I would like to thank the district police Awantipora and our management of IUST Awantipora for their great support and cooperation. It was a wonderful experience to interact with everyone here,” she said.

BILAL HABIB