SRINAGAR: The iconic Dal Lake in Srinagar will turn into a stage of athleticism, culture, and national integration when it hosts the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025 from August 21 to 23. Organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the festival aims to promote water-based competitions, showcase Kashmir’s cultural diversity, and inspire the youth through a blend of sport and heritage.
Approved with a budget of Rs 2.37 crores, the three-day event is expected to draw hundreds of athletes in kayaking, canoeing, rowing, and other disciplines, alongside thousands of visitors and spectators. The Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) will serve as the hub, while the shimmering waters of Dal Lake will be transformed into racing lanes, floating stages, and illuminated cultural spaces.
The organisers describe the festival as more than just a sports meet. It has been conceived to promote eco-tourism, national unity, and youth engagement. The logo features a Shikara on Dal Lake set against snow-clad mountains and pine trees, symbolising Kashmir’s identity, purity, and ecological richness. Its reflection on the water highlights tranquillity and the mirror-like charm of Dal Lake. Alongside, the Khelo India tricolour symbol represents national integration through sports.
The mascot, a vibrant Himalayan Kingfisher, reflects agility, focus, and youth energy. Inspired by the kingfishers found around the Jhelum and Dal Lake, it has been designed in orange and blue hues — representing energy, enthusiasm, and Kashmir’s iconic waters. The Kingfisher mascot will act as the brand ambassador, appearing in schools, rallies, and all publicity campaigns to promote eco-friendly sports and youth participation.
On the waters, the competitions will be complemented by floating exhibitions featuring papier-mâché art, sports photography, and Kashmiri crafts, as well as tribal cultural showcases. Traditional folk dances representing Dogri, Gujjar, Bakarwal, Pahari, and Kashmiri Pandit communities will take place on floating stages. At night, the boulevard, Shikara ghats, and houseboats will be illuminated with decorative lights, while live celebrity performances, gymnastics demonstrations, and music concerts will add glamour.
While official participation numbers for this first edition are yet to be announced, the scale of preparations suggests a turnout in the hundreds. More than 500 volunteers, athletes, and technical officials are being hired through e-tendering and GeM procurement, and nearly every major state department is involved — from Fire and Emergency Services to Jal Shakti, Tourism, Floriculture, the Hoteliers Association, and Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
Organisers are also drawing inspiration from the Khelo India Winter Games, hosted five times in Gulmarg, where participation swelled to over 1,500 athletes in 2024. With radio campaigns, social media influencers, print ads, hoardings, and mobile publicity drives planned, the water sports festival is expected to follow a similar growth trajectory and attract nationwide attention.
The festival’s line-up of events took a dramatic turn earlier this week with a Delhi High Court ruling on August 12, directing the Union of India and MYAS to include Dragon Boat Racing as a competitive sport in the festival.
The court’s order came in response to a petition by the Dragon Boat India and Traditional Sports Federation, which argued that Dragon Boat Racing is a globally recognised sport featured in the Asian Games and other international tournaments. The petitioner, represented by advocates Ajeesh Kalathil Gopi and Priya Jha, emphasised the sport’s cultural roots in Northeast and South India and offered to provide boats, trained officials, and logistical support for Dal Lake races.
The Union of India, represented by advocate Udit Dedhiya, countered that Dragon Boat Racing had only been slated as a demonstrative event since the roster had been finalised months earlier, and last-minute changes posed logistical challenges. But Justice Sachin Datta ruled that the sport’s global prominence and non-objection from MYAS warranted its inclusion. The court directed the Centre to work with the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure its competitive inclusion, clarifying that the arrangement was specific to this festival and not a blanket recognition.
With the inclusion of Dragon Boat Racing, the Dal Lake spectacle promises to be a richer blend of athleticism and tradition. From kayaking lanes and dragon boats cutting across Dal Lake to floating papier mâché displays and illuminated Shikaras, the festival is designed as a living canvas of Kashmir’s culture and sporting spirit.
For Jammu and Kashmir, which has already carved a niche in hosting winter sports, this water festival represents an opportunity to diversify its sporting calendar, boost eco-tourism, and channel youth away from drugs and internet addiction — a focus highlighted in the festival’s programme outline.
