TNR News Network
Shimla: In a major boost to winter sports and youth development in India’s high-altitude regions, Union Minister for Parliamentary and Tribal Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Member of Parliament from Mandi Kangana Ranaut laid the foundation stone for the country’s highest ice skating and ice hockey rink in Kaza, located in the Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.
The state-of-the-art facility will include an ice hockey rink, a high-altitude sports training centre, and a modern sports complex, all being built under the Prime Minister’s Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK). The entire project is estimated to cost Rs 72 crore and aims to provide world-class infrastructure to nurture sports talent in the tribal and border areas.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Rijiju emphasised that the initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India, especially focusing on empowering youth in remote and border regions. “This project will not only promote winter sports like ice hockey but also generate employment and tourism opportunities for the youth of the region,” he said.
MP Kangana Ranaut, who is on her first official visit to the Spiti Valley after her election victory, expressed pride in being part of such a transformative initiative. “It’s a moment of great honor to bring such a historic project to the people of Himachal,” she said.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony also saw vibrant cultural participation. Both Rijiju and Ranaut joined in a traditional Spiti folk dance, a moment captured and shared by the minister on his official Facebook page.
The sports complex is expected to put Kaza on the map as a major hub for sports tourism and high-altitude athletic training, offering immense opportunities to local youth in both professional sports and hospitality sectors. Also present at the event were local MLA Anuradha Rana, former MLA Ravi Thakur and several dignitaries from the region. The construction is expected to begin later this year and the facility would be operational before the 2026 winter season.
