The Jammu and Kashmir Senior Men’s Football Team was officially flagged off today for their participation in the final round of the prestigious Santosh Trophy. The flag-off ceremony was led by the Minister for Youth Services and Sports, Shri Satish Sharma, and the Advisor to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Nasir Aslam Sogami. The event, held at Mini Stadium, Parade Jammu, was also graced by the Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, Shri Sarmad Hafeez, Director General, Youth Services and Sports, Shri Tara Singh, and Secretary, J&K Sports Council, Ms. Nuzhat Gul, along with other senior officials.
The final round of the Santosh Trophy is scheduled to be held in Telangana, where the J&K team will compete against top teams from across the country. To mark the occasion, a friendly match between the J&K Police Team and the J&K Santosh Trophy Team was played in front of the dignitaries.
As part of the ceremony, the Hon’ble Minister and the Advisor to Hon’ble CM distributed sports kits to athletes from various Khelo India centres in J&K. Shri Satish Sharma congratulated the team for their exceptional performance in the preliminary round held in Punjab, which secured their qualification for the finals. He praised the J&K Sports Council for organizing a high-quality coaching camp and providing the necessary technical and infrastructural support to the players.
Shri Nasir Aslam Sogami lauded the athletes for their dedication and wished them success in the upcoming matches. Highlighting the global appeal of football, he expressed pride in the achievements of players and assured full government support in transforming the J&K into a hub for sports excellence.
The coaching camp for the final round was held at Mini Stadium, Parade Jammu, under the guidance of ex-international footballer and renowned coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo, along with chief football coach Satpal Singh Kala. The J&K Sports Council ensured that players received residential facilities, infrastructure, and other necessary resources under the directions of the Secretary, J&K Sports Council.
The players, fueled with determination, expressed optimism about their performance and aimed to achieve better results than in previous years as they prepared to compete against the nation’s best football teams.
