LEH: In a significant move aimed at placing Ladakh more prominently on India’s winter sports and adventure tourism map, the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM), under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Tourism, Ladakh to establish a new IISM branch in Kargil.
The MoU was exchanged on September 8 at IISM, Gulmarg, by Col. Thapa, Principal, IISM, and Sanjit Rodrigues, Secretary, Tourism, Ladakh. The exchange took place in the presence of Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and Dr Ashish Chandra Verma, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, J&K.
The proposed IISM branch at Kargil is expected to create new avenues for winter sports training, adventure tourism, skill development and youth engagement in the Union Territory.
The initiative assumes particular significance for Kargil, which possesses considerable potential for winter sports and adventure-based tourism owing to its high-altitude terrain, snow-covered landscapes and climatic conditions.
The collaboration between IISM and the Ladakh Tourism Department is also expected to strengthen local capacity by providing opportunities for youth to acquire professional skills in winter sports and mountaineering-related activities. It could further support the development of trained manpower required for Ladakh’s growing adventure tourism sector.
With the establishment of the Kargil branch, the initiative is poised to expand access to structured training and promote winter sports beyond traditional destinations, while creating fresh opportunities for local youth and strengthening Ladakh’s position as a year-round tourism destination.
The MoU marks an important step towards harnessing Ladakh’s natural potential for winter sports and adventure tourism, with the broader objective of combining tourism development with skill creation and youth participation.
