The Ladakh Marathon has registered around 8,000 participants, with Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra reviewing preparations. The event is gaining international recognition, showcasing Ladakh's natural beauty and promoting high-altitude sports and tourism. Local participation is encouraged to enhance the event's vibrancy and strengthen Ladakh's identity as a premier destination for adventure sports.
The Ladakh Marathon, known for its extreme high-altitude route and dramatic landscape, has become a significant attraction for distance runners worldwide. Despite not actively seeking sponsors, the event has garnered strong corporate backing due to its unique vision and the allure of Ladakh. Organisers prioritise runner safety and experience, acknowledging the psychological and physical challenges of racing at such elevations, where oxygen levels are significantly lower.
Ladakh's own Stanzil Dolkar leveraged her mountain running expertise to win the Ladakh Marathon, overcoming an early deficit against Saraswati Rai. Despite facing physical challenges during the race and running in her home region for the first time competitively, Dolkar finished with a time of 3 hours, 32 minutes, and 58 seconds, highlighting the advantage of local acclimatisation.
Nikhil Singh, an Indian elite runner from Mumbai, unexpectedly won the high-altitude Ladakh Marathon, attributing his success to mental strength and strategy.
An all-year-round indoor shooting range has been inaugurated in Leh, Ladakh, a collaborative effort by the Ladakh Shooting Association and Ladakh Police. This facility aims to provide continuous training opportunities for students, public, and police personnel, overcoming the region's challenging weather and fostering local talent in competitive shooting.
Suraj Meena, a non-Ladakhi marathoner from Rajasthan, achieved a remarkable feat by finishing second in the 122km Silk Route Ultra Ladakh Marathon. He completed the challenging high-altitude race in 12 hours and 35 minutes, setting a new record for non-Ladakhis and highlighting the extreme difficulty of running in such conditions. Meena also cycled 2,400km from Jaipur to Ladakh to participate.
The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) announced a major protest rally in Kargil on September 20, demanding justice for victims of police firing in Leh last year and protesting the central government's perceived lack of seriousness in talks regarding Ladakh's demands. The KDA, along with the Leh Apex Body (LAB), rejected the compensation offered by the Lieutenant Governor as inadequate and called for the withdrawal of all cases against arrested protesters. They criticised the recent talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs as "unproductive" and reiterated their demands for statehood and the extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh.
Five-time Guinness World Records holder Sufiya Sufi is preparing to defend her Ladakh Silk Route Ultra Marathon title, aiming for a record-breaking performance. She shares her journey into ultra-running, which began in 2017 as an escape from a monotonous routine, and her ultimate dream of a 30,000-km circumnavigation run.
The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of a High Court bench in Ladakh, a move lauded by Home Minister Amit Shah and Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena as a significant step towards improving access to justice and ensuring the all-round development of the Union Territory.
A viral video showing a woman tourist complaining to security personnel at a Ladakh checkpoint has ignited widespread criticism from military veterans. The woman's tirade, allegedly over vehicular movement restrictions, has been condemned as disrespectful to soldiers and ignorant of the region's security sensitivities.
Two earthquakes, measuring 5.5 and 4.3 magnitude, struck Ladakh within four hours on Thursday, causing concern among residents in the seismically active region, though no loss of life or property damage was immediately reported.
Ladakh has inaugurated its first international-level artificial ice hockey rink, a state-of-the-art facility costing Rs 42 crore. Equipped with a 24x7 chilling system, it allows year-round training, overcoming the previous limitation of a short natural ice season. This development is expected to boost winter sports, nurture local talent, and promote sports tourism in the region.
Ladakh has approved a four per cent reservation for outstanding sportspersons in Group 'C' government jobs, becoming the first Union Territory in India to implement such a fixed quota. This initiative aims to provide financial security and career opportunities for talented athletes, fostering an ecosystem where sporting excellence is recognised and rewarded.
Ladakh's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has significantly increased the prize money for the LG Horse Polo Cup to encourage greater participation in the sport across the union territory. This year's winners will receive Rs one lakh, with plans to further raise the prize to Rs two lakh next season. The recent UT-level championship saw 18 men's and four women's teams compete, with Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre winning the men's title.
The upcoming 2026 Ladakh Marathon will feature a record prize pool of Rs 1 crore, aiming to attract over 10,000 visitors globally. This high-altitude event, scheduled from September 10 to 13, is set to welcome participants from 28 Indian states, six Union Territories, and all six inhabited continents, reinforcing its growing international stature.
Suraj Meena, a non-Ladakhi runner, achieved a significant feat by finishing second in the 122km Silk Route Ultra Ladakh Marathon, clocking 12 hours and 35 minutes. He highlighted the extreme difficulty of high-altitude running for outsiders and shared his unique training and travel methods, including cycling to the event.
Suraj Meena, a non-Ladakhi marathoner from Rajasthan, achieved a remarkable second-place finish in the 122km Silk Route Ultra Ladakh Marathon, clocking 12 hours and 35 minutes. This performance set a new record for non-Ladakhis in the event, significantly beating the previous best. Meena highlighted the extreme difficulty of high-altitude running for those not acclimatised and shared his unique training approach, which included cycling 2,400km from Jaipur to Ladakh.
The Union Territory administration in Ladakh has announced the establishment of an Autonomous Hill Development Council (AHDC) for each of its seven districts, significantly expanding democratic decentralisation. This move extends elected local self-governance beyond Leh and Kargil, with a proposed Union Territory-level body under a customised Article 371 framework to oversee these councils.
I had found spending one night at 14,500 feet inside a cottage difficult to get by -- struggling to breathe in the cold, thin, mountain air. Here, our soldiers had fought a ferocious battle at much greater heights in bone-chilling weather, worse than I had encountered. 114 men were killed in action in a 16-hour epic battle against China in Rezang La, the farthest outpost along India's border with China.
Nawang Tsering of Ladakh won the Silk Route Ultra Marathon, crediting his prior experience at the challenging UTMB in France for his record-breaking performance. Despite experiencing pain and cramps during the 122km race, Tsering maintained his resolve, strategically allowing competitors to lead before overtaking them on steep elevations.
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved new rules for the regularisation of 'nautor lands', granting proprietary rights to eligible landholders. This move aims to resolve a long-pending issue, provide legal certainty, and allow land to be used as a financial asset for thousands of residents in the Union Territory.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
Bengaluru's Ujaan Shivarama, a 15-year-old mountaineer, has successfully summited the 6,250-metre Kang Yatse II peak in Ladakh, making him one of the youngest Indians to achieve this feat. He faced extreme weather conditions and was part of a team where only three out of 14 experienced climbers reached the summit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's first visit to India in seven years for the BRICS Summit and bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address crucial aspects of India-China relations, including trade, investment, and persistent border tensions.
China Southern Airlines is set to resume its Guangzhou-New Delhi passenger service from September 21, ending a six-year suspension. This move is part of a broader normalisation of India-China relations, following recent high-level diplomatic meetings and previous flight resumptions by other carriers.
The soil mingled with the blood of 114 soldiers, gathered from the battlefield, has been preserved in a glass bottle in Rezang La. When the frozen bodies of the were recovered, they had their rifles in hand, fingers on the trigger, pointed towards the enemy. The mountains they defended will never forget them. Neither should we.
The amazing story of how a little known cheese from Ladakh stunned the world!
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasized that both nations must show sensitivity to each other's core issues and be guided by mutual respect, sensitivity, and interest. Modi highlighted the critical importance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control for the development of India-China relations, while also addressing concerns regarding Taiwan and Tibet.
'The Chinese military cannot advance much in Ladakh, even if they want to.' 'Similarly, in Arunachal Pradesh, they can rename a village or two, intrude here or there, but cannot do much more realistically.'
China emphasises proper handling of differences and a long-term perspective for bilateral ties ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit to India for the BRICS summit and talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit aims to stabilise relations following the 2020 Ladakh standoff and strengthen BRICS cooperation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, where he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This visit, his first to India in nearly seven years, comes amidst efforts to normalise India-China relations following the 2020 Eastern Ladakh standoff and is expected to have significant implications for bilateral ties and BRICS cooperation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to India for the BRICS summit is a pivotal diplomatic event poised to significantly impact bilateral ties and global cooperation amidst ongoing international instability.
'It beggars belief that Saudi Arabia would deploy military force against India, a top partner and market.'
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has rejected Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's claim that he was 'unsure' of the online movement's origins, asserting he considers himself an 'honorary cockroach'.
Ahead of Xi Jinping's visit, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held extensive talks in Beijing on August 25 on the boundary issue and reached an eight-point consensus.
The Supreme Court has directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to issue a no-objection certificate and relieving order to international water sports coach Bilquis Mir, enabling her to join the Indian National Kayaking and Canoeing Team as chief coach for the Asian Games. This ruling came after PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti criticised the bureaucratic hurdles faced by Mir, highlighting systemic issues within the administration.
In July, tension emerged in Taksing, a remote village in the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh after locals sighted PLA soldiers.
The high court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has set aside the discharge of an accused in a UAPA case stating that secessionist sloganeering in a mob in the presence of the head of a banned separatist organisation prima facie falls under the definition of unlawful activity.
The Supreme Court has intervened to allow international water sports coach Bilquis Mir to join the Indian National Kayaking and Canoeing Team for the Asian Games in Japan. Overruling a Jammu and Kashmir administration order that denied her permission due to pending inquiries, the apex court emphasised the time-sensitive nature of sports administration and directed the issuance of a No Objection Certificate by September 15, 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to Chinese President Xi Jinping that peace and tranquillity along the frontier remains an "essential" basis for the development of India-China relations, even as the two leaders welcomed "steady progress" in bilateral ties during their talks on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.
