SRINAGAR, OCT 6: More than 700 athletes from 24 states converged at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Indoor Stadium for the 10th Senior National Men & Women Gatka Championship, bringing together some of the country’s leading senior Gatka players for a three-day display of traditional martial arts, sporting discipline and competitive excellence.
Organised by the J&K Gatka Association, the national championship provided a major competitive platform for men and women athletes while showcasing the growing reach of Gatka across India. The participation of athletes, coaches, referees and officials from 24 states also turned the event into an important national sporting and cultural gathering in Jammu and Kashmir.
The successful hosting of the championship further highlighted Srinagar’s growing role as a venue for major sporting events, while providing greater visibility to Gatka in the region and creating opportunities for local athletes to engage with competitors and officials from across the country.
SSP Traffic Srinagar Ajaz Bhat attended the concluding function as chief guest, while Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, J&K, Monika Dhami was the guest of honour.
Speaking on the occasion, Baljinder Singh Toor, General Secretary of the Gatka Federation of India, said the successful conclusion of the championship represented an important milestone for the sport and participating athletes. He noted that the competition reflected Gatka’s expanding popularity and competitive strength across the country, while praising the discipline, determination and sporting spirit displayed throughout the three-day event.
The championship also formed part of the J&K Gatka Association’s broader efforts to build a stronger sporting ecosystem for the traditional martial art. The association recently hosted a National Referee Seminar in Srinagar, bringing together more than 100 referees and contributing to the development of qualified officials and greater standardisation in the sport.
Adnan Ayoub, President of the J&K Gatka Association, said the association was proud to host athletes and officials from 24 states and described the championship and referee seminar as important steps towards strengthening the foundation of Gatka in Jammu and Kashmir.
The three-day competition featured senior men’s and women’s events, with athletes demonstrating technical proficiency, physical discipline and sportsmanship. The participation of players from different parts of the country also created opportunities for interaction, exchange of experience and greater exposure for athletes from the region.
The championship has provided further momentum to efforts by the Gatka Federation of India and affiliated state associations to expand competitive opportunities, improve officiating standards and encourage greater participation in the traditional Indian martial art.
With more than 700 participants converging in Srinagar, the event also underlined the potential of Jammu and Kashmir to host national-level sporting competitions while giving traditional Indian sports such as Gatka a larger platform among athletes and younger generations.
