Leh, Ladakh: When winter arrives, all the ice hockey lovers take out their skates and dust off the soil that has accumulated over time, as they haven’t had the opportunity to play without ice. Players usually get hardly two months to practice in winter, but with this new facility of artificial ice hockey rink, the entire scenario will change. Ladakh is all set to have an international-standard artificial ice hockey rink, which will be completed by September 2025.
Talking about the total cost of the Ice Hockey Rink, Imran Khan, Executive Engineer, Construction Division, Leh says, "At the initial stage, the work was approved under PMDP for an amount of Rs 7.7 crores in which the structure and seating was constructed at a cost of around 3 crores. The scheme was closed. Then, the truss work was approved under the Languishing Scheme at a cost of Rs 9.66 Crores. After that, the civil works (including roofing), electrical and mechanical chilling part was approved under SDP at a cost of Rs 41.718 Crores which is Ongoing."
Tsering Tashi, District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Leh, said, “Compared to last year, many new works have been completed, such as the roofing, dressing room, digital scoreboard, and lighting. Our target is to complete the installation of the chilling plant by September–October. The tender has already been floated, and the contract has been finalised.”
PT Kunzang, Advisor, Ladakh Winter Sports Club, says, “The 20–30% of the outer infrastructure of the ice hockey rink was completed when we were part of the erstwhile J&K. At that time, due to limited funding, the work stopped as sports were not given priority. The rink was constructed 20–30 years ago.”
He continued, “From March to April, the chilling plant will be set up. With artificial ice, we can play throughout the year. The rink is of international standard, and the facilities inside it also meet international standards.”
Tundup Namgyal, former captain of the Indian Men’s Ice Hockey Team, said, “We are planning to officially open the artificial and indoor facilities by September 2025. This facility will greatly benefit our players, as most world-level championships are held on artificial ice. The temperature of artificial ice is controlled, the surface is smooth, and there is a significant difference in how the puck moves. On artificial ice, the puck runs smoothly and with greater speed.”
Noney Wangchuk, General Secretary, of Ladakh Winter Sports Club, says, “India’s first international-standard-sized ice hockey rink was built in Dehradun, but it has remained defunct for a long time now. Ladakh is the second to have such a facility.”
He continues, “In 2016, we conducted a tournament in Chibra, Changthang, making it the world’s highest-altitude ice hockey event, which was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. For that, a dasher board was required. The Hockey Foundation of America, the Canadian High Commission, and some individuals from Germany gifted this dasher board to Ladakh. It was airlifted from Srinagar to Ladakh through IAL and transported to Chibra. After that, we successfully held the tournament. This dasher board has been reused for almost 10 years now in the present Ice Hockey Rink.”
Round the year practice for players
Speaking about the round-the-clock ice hockey rink, Noney Wangchuk says, “It will be a great development as Leh has become the hub for ice hockey. If the chilling plant is set up, we can play 24x7 and throughout the year. This will allow our players to practice continuously. Currently, they hardly get two months to practice. We don’t have a proper place to train, and maintaining the natural ice involves tasks like spraying water on it and sweeping it properly and it needs proper dedication.”
He further shares, “With this facility, we might even have a chance to compete in the Olympics. Ladakh can also produce top-class ice hockey players. Besides, we can host international matches since this is an international-standard ice hockey rink. On January 23rd, some international players are coming to Ladakh to explore the possibility of hosting ASEAN and other international matches here.
Tsering Tashi says, “With this facility, our players will be able to practice throughout the year. Otherwise, they get hardly 1–2 months to practice, which affects their performance. They play for 1–2 months, but for the rest of the year, they cannot practice due to the lack of ice. With the installation of the chilling plant, we will have artificial ice, and the rink will be enclosed as an indoor facility. This will allow our players to train not only in winters but also in summers.”
“A player needs to stay in touch with the game throughout the year to maintain good performance. The size of the ice hockey rink is of international standard, measuring 30 x 60 meters, with a seating capacity of 5,000 people. Additionally, we can accommodate more spectators outside by placing screens outside the rink,” adds Tsering Tashi.
PT Kunzang adds, “All the tournaments held internationally are played on artificial ice, but most of our players train on natural ice, which makes it challenging for them to adapt to artificial ice during competitions. Once this artificial ice rink is completed, our players will be better equipped to perform well in international competitions.”
Tsering Tashi says, “With this facility, we can also generate income. Moreover, many tourists, including sports and ice hockey enthusiasts, will come here to practice, providing our players with valuable exposure. We can also host various tournaments at the rink.”
Tundup Namgyal says, “The young players will gain tremendous benefits from this facility, enabling us to participate in tournaments like the ASEAN Challenge Cup or even the Olympics. Ladakh's primary objective is to represent India in the 2040 Olympics, as all the necessary facilities are now being developed here.
“When the Indian team first debuted in the Challenge Cup of Asia in 2009, it was the first time we experienced artificial ice, dasher boards, and a proper ice hockey rink. We faced many challenges initially as we didn’t understand how to play on artificial ice. Over time, we learned and adapted. Now, with dasher boards and all the required facilities in Ladakh, budding players will benefit immensely,” shares Tundup Namgyal.
Tundup Namgyal says, “Until 2013, the Indian team was made up entirely of Ladakhis. While some players from Himachal Pradesh and Delhi have joined us in recent years, Ladakhis still make up 97% of the Indian team.”
