Of Jerrycans And Ice Hockey: Nawang Chamba Relives Sport’s Genesis In Ladakh

Jerrycans have multipurpose usage and can be found in almost every Ladakhi household. Introduced by the Indian Army in Ladakh, these cans are used for storing and carrying water and fuel, owing to their durability and comfortable to carry design. (More Sports 카지노 사이트)

With slight adjustments, these cans are also used as containers for feeding the livestock, or made into wheelbarrows, and more. But would you believe they played a pivotal role in development of ice hockey in Ladakh?

In the early 1970s, Nawang Chamba had just joined the Ladakh Scouts. A young boy who had just outgrown his teens, he was spellbound by the idea of a game on ice. Chamba became a part of the first-ever ice hockey team of the Ladakh Scouts Regiment who went on to set an example for the potential of ice hockey in Ladakh, and inspired many others to play the sport.

It was a fascinating game, and the team did not crib about the absence of the right gear and passionately chased a make-do puck with ground hockey sticks. “We cut out jerrycans to make the skates which we then put to the base of our shoes,” shares Chamba, who played defence till the year he retired (1994).

The team of boys learnt the sport and practised rigorously in a make-shift ice rink in Hundar, Nubra, which was the previous headquarters of Ladakh Scouts Regiment. With buckets, they filled the rink with water and left it overnight to freeze, ready for the players by morning, jerrycans lined up as dasher boards.

Also Read: Gupuks: In The Heart Of Ladakh, Frozen Pond Helps Reimagine Indus

Almost two years later, the team had the opportunity to play wearing skate boots which were procured from Shimla. By then, the team had been shifted to Leh. With proper boots, the stick and puck, the team henceforth practised at the Gupuks pond, a few kilometres away from the regiment’s station where the team reached on foot each day.

Playing with the puck was painful, especially for their legs sans shin guards, hit marks of which are still visible on Chamba’s legs, a remembrance of the many happy hits and falls.

The beginning of the 1980s accelerated the state of the sport with the formation of civilian teams, which went on to play matches in Shimla. These visits brought in great transformation as they were a window to the actual set up of the game. Realising the potential of the sport, the local administrators explored possibilities to further develop the sport and that is when ties were built with the Canadian High Commission, who were invited to play high-altitude pond ice hockey.

The visit of the Canadian teams brought along experience and expertise. Equipment which they brought along were left behind for the local players, which proved helpful for the latter.

After the establishment of the Ladakh Winter Sports Club in the early 90s, ice hockey evolved to greater heights. The sport was introduced to children across the villages of Ladakh, with the hope of cultivating and nurturing talent for the larger interest of ice hockey in Ladakh.

These efforts didn’t go waste, as over the years, young men and women from across the expanse of Ladakh formed teams representing not only Ladakh but the nation too.

Over the years, Chamba stayed disconnected with the developments of the game. The news of a dedicated rink for ice hockey, functional year-round brings a smile on his face. “Maybe I will go watch a match this year.”