Author: The Dispatch Staff

Dehradun, May 14: National Coach Mohd Abbass Nordakh and his student skater Skarma Tsultim are representing Ladakh at the prestigious Team India Elite Camp being held at Himadri Ice Rink in Dehradun from May 12 to 26. The elite camp, organised by the Ice Skating Association of India, has brought together some of the country’s top skaters for an intensive training programme, seminars and a Bio-Mechanics Master Class aimed at improving technical skills and performance standards ahead of upcoming national and international competitions. A major highlight of the camp is the participation of Frédéric Blackburn from Canada, a double Olympic medallist and internationally renowned coach, who is mentoring…

Leh, May 13: The 46th Three-Day All India Official Language Training Camp and Conference commenced in Leh on Tuesday with a focus on strengthening the implementation of the Official Language Policy of the Government of India and promoting India’s linguistic and cultural heritage. The conference, organised by the Bhartiya Bhasha Evam Sanskriti Kendra, is being held from May 13 to 15 at Hotel Singge Palace and Hotel Northern Singge in Leh. Former Member of Parliament and former Chairman-cum-Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal attended the inaugural session as the chief guest. Addressing…

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Thursday announced Phase III of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 16 states and three Union Territories, while excluding Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh from the current schedule. The poll body said the electoral roll revision exercise in the three regions will be conducted separately at a later stage after completion of Phase II of the national Census and in view of weather-related challenges in high-altitude and snow-bound areas. According to the ECI, the rollout in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh has been deferred due…

Kargil: A political crisis has erupted in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil after Congress and the National Conference (NC) on Thursday announced a no-confidence motion against Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon for refusing to step down after completing his agreed two-and-a-half-year term. Addressing a press conference in Kargil, senior Congress leader Asgar Ali Karbalai said the Congress and NC had entered into a pre-poll alliance ahead of the 2023 LAHDC-Kargil elections under a rotational power-sharing arrangement. “As per the memorandum of understanding signed between both parties, the five-year council term was to be shared equally, with…

Leh, May 13: In a proud moment for Ladakh, Kulwinder Parhi, serving as Sub-Inspector and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife at Frontier Hospital Leh, has been conferred with the prestigious National Florence Nightingale Award 2026 by President Droupadi Murmu for her exceptional contribution to healthcare services in the region. The award was presented during a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on International Nurses Day in the presence of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav. Kulwinder Parhi was recognised for her nearly 28 years of dedicated service in some of the toughest…

Leh, May 12: In a landmark move aimed at transforming Ladakh into a global centre for premium Pashmina production and luxury textile products, the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has approved the formation of the Ladakh Pashmina Development Board (LPDB), a specialised institutional body dedicated to the holistic development of the region’s iconic Pashmina sector. The approval was conveyed through an official notification issued by the Cooperative Department with the sanction of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. The notification was issued by IAS officer Bhanu Prabha, Administrative Secretary, Cooperative Department. The newly-created Board will function as an autonomous…

Leh:  The Union Territory of Ladakh reported a total of 460 cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) during calendar year 2024, according to the latest ‘Crime in India 2024’ report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). With a mid-year projected population of 3 lakh, Ladakh’s crime rate stood at 152.3 per lakh population, while the charge‑sheeting rate for IPC/BNS cases was 75.5%. Including offences under Special & Local Laws (SLL), the UT logged 498 cognisable crimes, resulting in an overall crime rate of 179.1 per lakh. The total number of violent crimes…

Leh, May 11: The Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has constituted a UT-Level Committee to oversee and recommend measures for the operationalisation of five newly created districts, marking a major step towards decentralised governance and improved administrative reach in remote areas. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the formation of the committee following the notification of five new districts last month. The new districts include Changthang, Nubra, Sham, Zanskar and Drass. The committee has been tasked with preparing a detailed roadmap for establishing and operationalising key district-level offices, while also addressing administrative, financial and logistical requirements arising…

Leh: Reinforcing the region’s centuries-old textile legacy, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena has underlined a renewed push to transform Ladakh into a global hub for premium Pashmina production after reviewing operations at the Pashmina Dehairing Plant in Leh. During the inspection, the LG Vinai Kumar Saxena closely assessed multiple stages of raw Pashmina wool processing and directed officials to make optimal use of modern infrastructure, including the newly installed scouring machine, to enhance efficiency and ensure output meets global quality benchmarks. Emphasising value addition at the grassroots level, the LG also called for expanding livelihood opportunities by promoting hand-spinning…

Leh, May 11: In a significant boost to India’s human spaceflight ambitions, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to help upgrade the ‘Hope Habitat’ in Ladakh to support future training missions for astronauts linked to the Gaganyaan programme, according to reports. The high-altitude analogue habitat, located in Ladakh’s remote Tso Kar valley and developed by space research company Protoplanet, is being expanded to simulate the extreme conditions astronauts may face during long-duration space missions. As per reports, the project is being carried out in collaboration with ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre following the successful completion of the Hope…

Leh, May 10: Nearly six and a half years after Ladakh became a Union Territory, the long-pending demand for the creation of the Ladakh Subordinate Administrative Services (LSAS) is finally close to becoming a reality, with an announcement from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) expected shortly. As per reports published in daily newspaper quoting sources claimed the Ladakh administration has submitted a detailed proposal to the MHA for establishment of the LSAS, including recruitment rules, vacancy details and the proposed selection mechanism through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The move comes days after the Centre announced creation…

Leh, May 9: Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, on Saturday chaired a meeting with tourism stakeholders to discuss key challenges and policy issues concerning the tourism sector in the region, with a strong emphasis on sustainable and responsible tourism development. The meeting focused on issues related to tourism regulation, rationalisation measures, infrastructure augmentation and improvement of tourism services in Ladakh. Detailed deliberations were also held on matters concerning the EFFRO portal, registration procedures, centralisation of Form-C, the Ladakh Tourism Development Society and other issues affecting tourism stakeholders. The interaction provided a platform for representatives from…

Leh, May 9: A conference on the theme “Past, Present and Future of Buddhism in Ladakh” was organised at the Dharma Centre in Leh on Friday as part of the ongoing 15-day Sacred Exposition of the Holy Relics of Gautama Buddha in Ladakh. The conference was jointly organised by the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh and the Ladakh Gonpa Association under the chairmanship of His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche. The event witnessed participation from monks, scholars, students, officials and members of the public. The programme began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Chief Secretary of UT…

Leh: Thousands of devotees from across Ladakh gathered at Jivetsal on Saturday as the public exposition and veneration of the sacred relics of Gautama Buddha entered its eighth day, turning the venue into a major centre of spiritual devotion and prayer. Nearly 7,000 devotees, including a large number of visitors from the Kargil region, participated in the holy occasion throughout the day to pay homage and seek blessings from the sacred relics. The site remained crowded from morning till evening, reflecting the deep spiritual significance attached to the relics among the Buddhist community. The day’s religious prayers and ceremonial offerings…

Leh: In a major step towards strengthening urban public transport infrastructure in the Union Territory, the administration has approved the construction of 30 smart bus shelters in Leh that will combine modern passenger amenities with Ladakh’s traditional architectural heritage. Announcing the project, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena said the upcoming bus shelters are designed to provide climate-resilient, eco-friendly and commuter-friendly infrastructure suited to the harsh weather conditions of the high-altitude region. According to the LG, the “Gonpa-inspired” smart bus shelters will integrate advanced mobility features with the unique aesthetic elements of traditional Ladakhi architecture. The shelters are expected…

LEH, May 4: A delegation from Kukshow and Pacharik villages of the newly constituted Sham district on Monday called on former Member of Parliament Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, seeking continued support for development and administrative strengthening in the region. The delegation, comprising representatives of Junu Thundel Tsogspa, Kukshow Culture Preservation Society and Pacharik Tsogspa, also included Dr. Kunzes Dolma, Ambassador for Women in Geothermal (India) and a member of the High Power Committee. During the interaction, the members expressed gratitude to Namgyal for his consistent advocacy for the creation of Sham district, recalling his efforts in raising the demand in Parliament.…

Leh: The Leh Apex Body has formally accepted the resignation of its Chairman, Thupstan Chhewang, bringing an end to his tenure marked by both leadership and recent internal differences within the group. According to an official press release issued by the People’s Movement for 6th Schedule for Ladakh, the decision follows a series of differences of opinion between Chhewang and other members of the Apex Body. These disagreements reportedly surfaced during key high-level meetings, including representations made before the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh and the Union Home Minister. The statement also noted that Chhewang had been unable to attend crucial…

Leh, May 4: Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday called on Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil in New Delhi and discussed a range of ongoing water conservation initiatives in the Union Territory, with a special focus on long-term water security. During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor briefed the Minister about the recently launched “Him Sarovar” project, which aims to harvest snowmelt to address water scarcity in Ladakh’s high-altitude regions. The Minister appreciated the initiative and assured full Central support to strengthen such efforts. The LG expressed gratitude to the Union Minister for approving Central assistance of…

Leh, May 2: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday described his visit to Ladakh as spiritually enriching and culturally inspiring, expressing hope that the sacred exposition of the Holy Relics of Gautama Buddha would also be brought to Arunachal Pradesh. During his visit to Leh, Khandu had the darshan of the Holy Relics of Gautama Buddha and called it a moment of “immense pride and profound spiritual joy” as the revered Piprahwa Relics reached the land of Ladakh, filling the region with devotion and peace. He said Arunachal Pradesh, with its deep-rooted Buddhist heritage, is ready to host…

Leh/Jammu: ) The Department of Posts in Jammu and Kashmir Postal Circle on Saturday released a special cover to commemorate the grand exposition of the holy relics of the Tathagata Buddha at Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the exposition of the holy relics of Tathagata Buddha and the 2569th Buddha Purnima celebrations in Leh during his two-day visit to Ladakh. Officials said the special cover was unveiled at a function organised by the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh at Jivetsal in the Choglamsar area. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu…