Army, ITBP set for Himalayan Ice Hockey Challenge as Royal Enfield Challengers’ Cup begins Aug 1

Five teams to battle for inaugural title at NDS Stadium in Leh

LEH: Royal Enfield has announced the inaugural Challengers’ Cup, a new ice hockey tournament aimed at creating a competitive platform for emerging players from Ladakh and Spiti. Scheduled from August 1 to 6 at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium in Leh, the tournament will pit regional talent against established institutional teams from the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Organised under Royal Enfield Social Mission, the tournament will feature five teams comprising the Indian Army Ice Hockey Team, Central Ice Hockey Team ITBP, and three newly formed regional sides — Leh Kings, Kargil Warriors and Spiti Titans. The civilian teams have been assembled from standout performers identified through the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League and the Spiti Cup, bringing players from Ladakh and Spiti onto a common competitive platform for the first time.

The round-robin tournament will also include structured training sessions for the civilian teams before concluding with the championship final on August 6, providing young players with exposure to higher standards of competition.

Among the prominent players selected are Karma Rigyal Stein and former tournament MVP Mushtaque Ahmad Giri for Leh Kings; Waseem Bilal and Sajjad Hussain for Kargil Warriors; and Tanzin Dorje, one of the leading performers in the recent Spiti Cup, for Spiti Titans.

Vigyat Singh, Director, Eicher Group Foundation, said the Challengers’ Cup reflects Royal Enfield’s continued investment in strengthening the Himalayan ice hockey ecosystem by creating additional opportunities for competitive play and year-round athlete development. He added that hosting the tournament during the summer also demonstrates the growing potential of Leh’s all-season artificial ice rink to support training and competitions beyond the traditional winter calendar.

According to Royal Enfield, its ice hockey initiatives attracted more than 34,000 spectators during the previous season. Over the last three editions, the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League has expanded across Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Sham, Shakar Chiktan, Zanskar, Changthang and Lahaul & Spiti, contributing to the growth of a community-driven sporting ecosystem.

The company said it will continue working with the Ice Hockey Associations of Ladakh and Lahaul & Spiti to strengthen grassroots participation and create sustainable pathways for Himalayan players to compete at higher levels.