Omar Abdullah Unveils Plan to Revive Kashmir as Premier Golf Destination
Srinagar, KNT: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday announced a roadmap to revive Kashmir as one of India’s premier golf destinations, saying the government intends to make the J&K Open Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) tournament an annual event while establishing a golf academy and upgrading sports infrastructure across the Union Territory.
Addressing reporters after inaugurating the J&K Open 2026 at the Royal Springs Golf Course, Omar said golf tourism forms an important component of the government’s broader strategy to promote high-value tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the Valley’s three major golf courses at Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam, along with the course at Sidhra in Jammu, would play a key role in the initiative, adding that another golf course in the Jammu region is also proposed for upgradation.
The Chief Minister said the government wants the PGTI event to become a permanent feature on the national golfing calendar rather than remain a one-time tournament.
“This is only the beginning. We hope to increase both participation and prize money and ensure the tournament becomes an annual event over the coming years,” he said.
Omar also announced plans to establish a golf academy to identify and nurture young talent, saying local golfers should benefit from greater exposure through professional tournaments and structured coaching from an early age.
Referring to cricket, the Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir’s recent performances in domestic cricket and the selection of local players by IPL franchises had demonstrated the sporting potential of the Union Territory.
He also reiterated the need for international-standard cricket infrastructure, expressing hope that proposed stadium projects would be completed to enable Jammu and Kashmir to host IPL and international matches in the future.
Responding to a question on the recent killing of civilians in south Kashmir, Omar described the incident as deeply unfortunate and said those responsible for maintaining security were expected to ensure that such attacks do not occur. [KNT]
