Rigzin Yangdol From Ladakh Represents India At The International Ice Hockey Camp in South Korea
She is a regular member of the Indian Women's Hockey Team and has imparted training to the Ladakh Police team and the Kargil women's team.
Published : August 21, 2025 at 6:58 PM IST
By Rinchen Angmo Chumikchan
Leh: Rigzin Yangdol, a hockey coach from Kukshow village in Kargil district, represented India at the prestigious Hockey Together International Coaching Camp, held recently in South Korea.
Since 2017, the 30-year-old has been a regular member of the Indian Women's Ice Hockey team, coaching over 500 students. This year, she has imparted training to the Ladakh Police team and the Kargil women's team. Having been recognised as the Best Player in both the first and second LG Cup Ice Hockey Tournaments, she is the first woman ice hockey player from Kargil to achieve such a feat. She is now the assistant captain of the Women's Ice Hockey team.
Rigzin recalled how life took a different turn after her schooling. "I did not know about ice hockey back then, as I was living in Chemday village. After I failed in my 10th board exam, and joined the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) in 2013–14. That became a turning point in my life, as I learned many new things there and, most importantly, I was introduced to ice hockey."
Three from her batch went on to play for the Women's Ice Hockey team. "My best friend, Stanzin Dolkar, always pushed and motivated me to play and practice, while I encouraged her to continue her college studies. We became pillars of support for each other. That's how my journey in ice hockey began," she said.
However, her journey was not always easy."In 2016, I was not selected for the India team, though all my friends got selected. When they returned, they had become much better players. I was sad. But instead of giving up, I tried harder. In 2017, I finally made it to the national Women's Ice Hockey team, and in 2018, I won the 'Man of the Match' award in Malaysia," she said.
Determined to share her passion, Rigzin began conducting ice hockey camps across villages through the Ladakh Women's Ice Hockey Foundation (LWIHF). When the Covid-19 lockdown brought everything to a standstill, she turned to her village, Kukshow.
"I called a meeting with the youth to explain how to draw an ice hockey rink. Everyone was very supportive, and all villagers contributed. Finally, when the ice formed, even though it was rough at first, we kept working on it until it became good enough to play on. I held a 10-day camp where around 70 students participated. The elders, who had never seen such a thing before, said it felt like watching an aeroplane. It turned into a festival for co-villagers," she recalled.
Since then, she has dedicated herself to nurturing young talent. "From 2019 onwards, I have been conducting free coaching camps for students. In 2024, we formed our village team, the Kukshow Ice Hockey Team, for both boys and girls and started competing in tournaments. In 2025, we even became the runner-up in one of the events. The villagers were so happy. I ensure our team participates in as many tournaments as possible," she said.
This also brought her opportunities for professional growth. In 2024, she was called by Royal Enfield to attend a 10-day coaching training camp in Delhi. "With their support, I was able to conduct camps in many more villages," she added.
Rigzin feels that her years of hard work at the grassroots level opened the doors for her international training opportunity. "I think the Ice Hockey Association noticed my work and selected me based on that. There were 30 countries participating in the training. Some countries had two representatives, and from India, there were two — one from Himachal and me. I am the first woman ice hockey player from Kargil," she explained.
Reflecting on the challenges back home, she said people don't value free coaching and are not serious about it. However, she wants to share everything she learned in South Korea, like new coaching techniques and the use of apps that support the game.
"There were six teams, and 30 coaches were deputed among them. I was stunned to see the players. They were so advanced that it felt impossible for us to teach them anything. These were under-14 players, yet they practised continuously and showed great discipline and respect toward their coaches. That is something we can learn from. It was a very valuable experience for me," she said.
Rigzin highlighted the stark difference in facilities between Ladakh and South Korea. "They have top-class facilities, whether it's equipment or year-round access to ice. In Ladakh, we only get natural ice for two to three months. We have to jump directly on it. Even if we want to perform better, we can't do much because the ice doesn't last beyond that. But in South Korea, players practice on artificial ice throughout the year," she elaborated.
Highlighting the impact of familial support in making a big difference, she said parents in South Korea are very serious about their children's progress and regularly come to see their performance, something that Ladakh lacks. Rigzin expressed gratitude to those who helped make her training possible. "The financial support for my training was provided by the 14 Corps through one of the members of the Ladakh Buddhist Association," she added.
Asked about her plans, Rigzin spoke with clarity and commitment. "Presently, I am working as a part-time coach. I feel that if I have started the team, then I should also make sure they succeed. Even if I don't become a big coach, I want to continue coaching my village team and see them participate in the national championships," she said.
Her recent training in South Korea has further strengthened her resolve as she wants to make it more effective and teach the new techniques she has learnt. "The biggest challenge in Ladakh right now is that we don't have year-round access to an ice hockey rink, while in places like Delhi and Dehradun, such facilities are already coming up. That makes a huge difference," she said.
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