Kargil (The Stellar News): Two young Taekwondo athletes from Ladakh have brought glory to Ladakh by winning medals at the SGFI National Taekwondo Championship held in Jammu from 15th to 19th November 2025.
Zahara Batool, a Class 12 student of Government Higher Secondary School Akchamal, won the Gold Medal in the Under-19, Under-56 Kg weight category.
Shabnam Zahra of Government High School Baroo, Kargil, secured the Bronze Medal in the Under-19, Under-59 Kg weight category.
Both athletes are trained at SAI STC Kargil, which continues to play a pivotal role in developing young sports talent in the district.
Shri Atul Pangotra, Mentor and Chief Technical Director of the Ladakh Taekwondo Association, appreciated the remarkable performance of the girls and encouraged them by gifting ₹3100 to Gold medalist Zahara Batool and ₹1100 to Bronze medalist Shabnam Zahra.
A contingent of eight girl athletes represented Ladakh in the championship, accompanied by coaches Mohd Ali and Mutaza Ali Khan, and team manager Mohd Ibrahim Shoqi.
The General Secretary, Ladakh Taekwondo Association Anayat Ali Shotopa, extended heartfelt gratitude to the Department of Youth Services and Sports, UT Ladakh, acknowledging the contributions of Former Secretary Bhanu Prabha, Current Secretary Moses Kunzang, and especially Joint Director YSS, Tahir Hussain Zubdavi, for ensuring a well-supported and motivated team for the national event.
He also thanked SAI Center Kargil, highlighting the dedicated efforts of coach Mohd Ali and the valuable support of Parveen Kumar in preparing the athletes for national-level competition.
The outstanding achievements of Zahara Batool and Shabnam Zahra stand as a proud moment for Kargil and continue to inspire young athletes across Ladakh.
