This story is from February 3, 2016

Ladakh ice hockey tournament gets financial boost

Ladakh's strong connection with the sport of ice hockey will continue this year with the Sun Life Financial, a leading Canadian financial serves organisation, having partnered with non-profit ground The Hockey Foundation for an ice hockey tournament to be played at the highest risk in the world, the Karzoo Ice Hockey Rink in Leh.
Ladakh ice hockey tournament gets financial boost
Ice hockey was introduced to India in the 1920s by the British in Shimla. (Getty Images)
Key Highlights
  • Sun Life Financial has donated approximately USD 30,000 for an ice hockey tournament in Leh.
  • Coaches will now to travel to India from North America to teach the game to local players.
  • Karzoo at 11,500 feet is the world's highest natural ice hockey rink in the world.
NEW DELHI: Ladakh's strong connection with the sport of ice hockey will continue this year with the Sun Life Financial, a leading Canadian financial serves organisation, having partnered with non-profit ground The Hockey Foundation for an ice hockey tournament to be played at the highest risk in the world, the Karzoo Ice Hockey Rink in Leh.
Sun Life Financial has donated approximately USD 30,000 for the event which will not only be used to conduct the tournament but also enable more coaches to travel to India from North America to teach the game to local players.
Ten coaches will coach Indian children at various locations around India this winter, in comparison to three coaches who travelled to India last year.

Sun Life Financial sponsors hockey in the Himalayas


"Sun Life is proud to contribute to a sport that can usher in a healthy lifestyle and make a difference in the lives of people and communities in which we operate. The tournament is particularly fascinating as it is played at the world's highest rink in the resplendently beautiful Himalayas. This partnership is aimed at both promoting this sport in India and encouraging healthy and physically active lifestyles," said Rajeev Bhardwaj, VP Human Resources, Sun Life Financial, Asia Service Centres.
An irrigation pond in the summer, the Karzoo at 11,500 feet (3,484 m), is the world's highest natural ice hockey rink in the world. This novelty serves not only as an attraction but also a handicap for the locals. While ice hockey is an indoor in most parts of the world, in Leh, December-January is the only time that it can be seriously pursued in the region.
It may not be well known that ice hockey was introduced to India in the 1920s by the British ling in Shimla. Later, during the 1970s, Indian soldiers were shown the sport as a means to stay fit in the winter. It was only after the turn of the century that ice hockey gained exposure with the formation of the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI). Today it is played at the national level in Ladakh, Shimla and Kashmir.
While there are no artificial rinks available in the country, the game flourishes in these north Indian locations during the winters. The IHAI conducts several annual tournaments, most recently the fourth Women National Ice Hockey Tournament in January in Leh, in collaboration with the Ladakh Winter Sports Club.
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