BSF Wular Ultra Run 3.0 held in Bandipora to promote Environmental Conservation, Sportsmanship

BANDIPORA: The third edition of the BSF Wular Ultra Run, organised by the Border Security Force (BSF) in collaboration with Krish Fitness Academy, was held today at Wular Lake, Bandipora, with the objective of promoting environmental conservation, sportsmanship, youth engagement and community participation.
Held under the theme “Save Wular, Run with Bordermen”, the event highlighted the importance of conserving Wular Lake, one of Asia’s largest freshwater lakes and an important ecological and tourism asset of the Kashmir Valley.
The event was flagged off by IG BSF Kashmir Frontier, Ashok Yadav, in the presence of DIG SHQ BSF Bandipora Sandeep Rawat, representatives of Krish Fitness Academy, senior BSF officials, civil administration representatives and other dignitaries.
As part of the event, the 5-km run was flagged off from Nadihal by Additional District Development Commissioner Bandipora, Nazir Ahmad Mir, witnessing enthusiastic participation from local youth, residents and runners.
The event culminated at Wular Vantage Park, Bandipora, where Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib, attended the culmination function.
In her presence, the prize distribution ceremony was held, wherein winners were felicitated with prize money amounting to up to Rs 25 lakh, besides certificates and other accolades. A cultural programme was also organised on the occasion.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from runners, BSF personnel, local residents, civil dignitaries, members of various security forces and media representatives. Around 4,000 people attended the programme, while nearly 3,000 participants, including around 200 female runners, took part in various race categories.
The BSF Wular Ultra Run 3.0 featured four race categories, including the 50-km Ultra Marathon, 25-km, 10.5-km and 5-km runs, with participation open to both male and female runners. The scenic routes around Wular Lake provided participants an opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the region while reinforcing the message of environmental protection.
The initiative also sought to generate greater public awareness about the conservation and protection of Wular Lake and encourage local communities, particularly youth, to actively participate in environmental conservation, sports and other constructive activities.
The event also provided a platform to identify and encourage emerging sporting talent from the region, with promising athletes being encouraged to pursue further development and training opportunities through sporting initiatives, including Khelo India.
Speaking on the occasion, IG BSF Kashmir Frontier Ashok Yadav acknowledged the valuable contribution of local residents, media organisations, sporting partners, civil administration, sponsors and personnel of various security forces towards the successful conduct of the event.
The BSF Wular Ultra Run 3.0 reaffirmed the commitment towards strengthening engagement with local communities while promoting environmental consciousness, youth empowerment, sporting excellence and conservation of Kashmir’s natural heritage.
The event was supported by the District Administration Bandopora, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Choice, Kajaria, J&K Bank, HFCL, NHPC and NBCC.