Kargil: 07 October 2024. Consumer durables brand Usha in collaboration with the Ladakhi Craft & Design Skill Centre and the Department of Physical Education and Sports, Govt Degree College Kargil, Ladakh, organised Dah-Fangs, a traditional archery event at the College premises at Kargil. The event witnessed 80 male and female participants compete across teams, with an enthusiastic local audience comprising students and community members cheering them on. Govt Degree College, Kargil emerged as the champion in boys category while Govt Polytechnic College, Kargil stood second. In the girls section, Govt Degree College, Kargil won the title while Govt Polytechnic College, Kargil placed runner up. The Guests of Honour at the event included Tahir Hussain, Director, Youth Service & Sports, UT Ladakh; Mohd Ishaq, Zonal Physical Education Officer Taisuru/ Traditional Archery Expert, and Mohd Sadiq Shalti, Former National Archery Coach, felicitated the winning and runners-up teams. All winners received certificates and traditional tokens of appreciation.
Dah-fangs is the Ladakhi word for archery and is distinct in its style and equipment. The bows are typically made from locally sourced willow wood, while arrows are crafted using bamboo and tipped with metal points. The competition is characterised by unique rules and formats, with archers aiming at small, brightly coloured targets. This form of archery dates back many centuries and originally served as a crucial skill for hunting and self-defence and has since been an integral part of the lives of Ladakhi people.
Speaking on the Occasion, Komal Mehra, Head, Sports Initiatives & Associations at Usha International, said, “Every traditional sporting event brings us closer to the rich traditions and cultural commitment at Usha to preserve and support these practices. The enthusiastic significance that shapes local communities. Today’s Dah-Fangs event has deepened our understanding of its importance in Ladakhi culture and has further encouraged response from the local community and inspires us to continue connecting people to their roots while promoting the importance of following a healthy lifestyle through the power of sport.”
Usha has been a fervent supporter and promoter of a wide range of inclusive sporting initiatives across the country. This includes its affiliation with the Mumbai Indians; Ultimate Flying Disc; Football; Ladies amateur and junior golf; Cricket for the deaf; and Sports for the visually challenged, including athletics, kabaddi, judo, and powerlifting. The brand is deeply committed to reviving long-forgotten sports and supporting indigenous Indian regional sports such as Kalaripayattu, Mallakhamb, Siat Khnam, Thang-Ta, Turai Kabaddi, Saz-Loung, Mardani Khel, Satoliya, Yoga, and Silambam.
