ITI Limited, the country’s first post-independence public sector undertaking and a leading telecom manufacturing company, has secured a work order for developing an ice hockey rink in Kaza, Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. The project, valued at Rs 727.6 million, has been awarded by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul and Spiti, for the construction of a modern ice hockey facility in the high-altitude region. Under the contract, ITI Limited will develop a full-fledged ice hockey rink equipped with a 500-kW solar power back-up system, CCTV cameras, lighting and other associated infrastructure. The facility is designed to meet high-quality standards suitable for both players and spectators and forms part of a broader initiative to build world-class sports infrastructure in the remote Spiti Valley region. The project aligns with ongoing efforts under the High-Altitude Sports Training Centre scheme and is expected to boost sports opportunities, encourage youth participation and support sports tourism in Lahaul and Spiti, located at an altitude of approximately 12,000 ft. Commenting on the development, Mr Rajesh Rai, Chairman and Managing Director of ITI Limited, said the company was pleased to contribute to strengthening ice hockey infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh. He added that ITI Limited looks forward to partnering in the state’s journey to develop high-quality sports facilities and nurture emerging talent. Mr Rai also noted that Himachal Pradesh holds a special place for ITI Limited, highlighting the company’s mandate to lay 2,011.5 km of optical fibre cable in 81 blocks covering 3,615 gram panchayats under the BharatNet Phase-III project. As part of this initiative, ITI Limited has established the State Network Operation Centre and laid around 990 km of optical fibre cable across Himachal Pradesh. He further expressed confidence that with improved infrastructure and sustained efforts by stakeholders, Spiti will soon be recognised not only for ice hockey but also as a prominent destination for winter sports. Ice hockey was introduced in Spiti in 2019 and, despite being a relatively young discipline in the region, it has already recorded notable achievements, including multiple medal wins at national games.