Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are capable of overcoming every challenge and can script history if provided with the right opportunities and guidance.
He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the second edition of the Sikh Cricket Premier League (SCPL) held at the University of Jammu. Highlighting developments in the sports sector, Sinha said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the sports landscape in the Union Territory has undergone a historic transformation in recent years.
“The new generation embodies possibility itself. I believe our youth are the solution to every challenge. Provide them apt opportunities, robust platforms, and true mentorship, and they will author history,” he said.
Sinha noted that the Sikh Cricket Premier League is helping to shape multifaceted character among the youth and will instill discipline, leadership, teamwork, patience, and self-belief in the coming years.
He described the initiative by the All J&K Sikh Coordination Committee and the Hari Singh Nalwa Cricket Club, Jammu, as a declaration that the new generation is moving forward not as spectators but as torchbearers of brotherhood and social harmony. To promote inclusivity, the organisers have ensured that each team includes youth from other communities as well.
Addressing the players, the Lieutenant Governor urged them to train with “ferocious discipline” and compete with “unbreakable unity,” both on and off the field. He emphasised that true societal wealth lies not in infrastructure alone, but in fresh ideas and youthful energy.
“The energy of our youth is like a river. When guided with purpose, it becomes a source of life and progress. I am confident that in the journey of nation-building, our youth will not stop, not bow, and they will not tire,” he said.
Sinha added that sporting events like the Sikh Cricket Premier League must encourage young people to see sports not merely as recreation, but as a platform for building enduring life values. “When youth align with purposeful missions, they understand that grand transformations require grand visions. Entrepreneurship and sports harbour that very alchemy,” he remarked.
He further said that substantial financial assistance under the Prime Minister’s Development Programme (PMDP) has helped lay a world-class foundation for sports excellence in the Union Territory.
The Lieutenant Governor also mentioned that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, assured Rs 200 crore in assistance for sports development in the UT, with support from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), FIFA, and other sports organisations.
