Srinagar: Far from court rooms and legal arguments, a battle of a different kind took place on a pleasant on Saturday afternoon here as the legal fraternity from across the country tested their golfing skills alongside their Jammu and Kashmir counterparts.
As Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, teed off the one-day "Legal Eagle Golf Tournament" at the Royals Springs Golf Course (RSGC) on the banks of the Dal Lake in Srinagar on Saturday, about 50 participants - judges, lawyers and other members of the legal fraternity from the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court and the J-K High Court took to the greens to show off their golfing skills.
The tournament, an annual affair, is being held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time.
The event was organised by the Jammu Kashmir High Court and co-sponsored by the state's Tourism Department and the J-K Bank.
The RSGC is an 18-hole golf course with about an eight-and-a-half km long cart path and is spread over an area of 100 hectares of land having three lakes.
After inaugurating the event, Justice Mittal said the tournament is usually held outside the state and they brought it here to send a message across that Kashmir is absolutely safe for travellers and that any tournament could be held in Srinagar.
"We have brought Delhi and Srinagar so close that they are walking hand in hand in true spirit of sports and goodwill. It is a union of legal experts and has brought women players together as well. We hope this tradition will continue for a long time," she said.
She said many women judges participated in the tournament who would also invite other lady golfers to play here.
"We wanted lady golfers also to participate and they have turned up in good numbers here. This is also to promote golfing among the women," Justice Mittal said.
Managing Director, Golf Development and Management Authority, Ghalib Mohiuddin said this was a high-profile tournament in which senior judges and lawyers were participating and would send across a positive message.
"If we can host high-profile judges and lawyers here who can play here without any security concern and enjoy to the fullest, it would send a positive message across that Kashmir is safe for everybody," he said.
Mohiuddin said the tournament would give a fillip to the overall tourism activity of the state.
"There is no denying the fact that RSGC is one of the best golf courses in India and one of the best in Asia. The negative perception that Kashmir is not safe acts as a deterrent for travellers. However, with the successful conclusion of this tournament, a positive message will go across that this beautiful land is also safe. We are hopeful that tourism, especially, golf tourism will pick up here," he said.
Director Tourism, Kashmir, Tasaduq Jeelani said the state in itself was a golf circuit having many golf courses which needed to be promoted through such activities.
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