When the puck drops at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Stadium in Leh on January 29, 2026, it will mark far more than the start of another ice hockey season. The third edition of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League (REIHL) represents one of the most ambitious grassroots-to-global sports development models in Indian history transforming Ladakh from a remote high-altitude outpost into South Asia’s most structured ice hockey ecosystem.
Season 3 will run until February 14 and features 11 men’s teams and five women’s teams, the largest field the league has ever assembled. What makes this league unique is not just its scale, but the communities it represents teams drawn from Changthang, Nubra, Zanskar, Sham Valley, Kargil, Chiktan and Leh itself, some of the most isolated regions on the planet.
Unlike India’s national ice hockey championships, which are dominated by institutional teams from the Army and ITBP, REIHL is built around civilian village clubs, making it the sport’s true grassroots engine.
From frozen ponds to professional league
Ice hockey in Ladakh has long existed in an informal way, played on frozen village ponds and irrigation tanks. REIHL changed that by creating a structured competitive pathway. Backed by Royal Enfield’s Social Mission and the Ladakh administration, the league operates under a long-term “Game Changer” blueprint that aims to take Ladakhi players from Learn-to-Play programs all the way to Olympic-level competition.
Season 3 marks a critical transition. The tournament now uses a full round-robin format, meaning every team plays each other. This provides vastly more ice time, tactical learning and performance data exactly what a developing sport needs to improve.
The men’s competition: geography meets grit
The men’s division reads like a map of Ladakh’s geography. Kangs Sing of Leh, the defending champions, return as favourites, having built a reputation for fast, attacking hockey. Their closest rivals remain Changthang Shans, who represent the high-altitude nomadic belt and are known for extraordinary stamina. From Kargil come the powerful Humas Warriors, who last season recorded an 11–3 win, and the tactically disciplined Purig Warriors. Meanwhile, new entrants like Kharu Falcons show how far the sport has spread beyond Leh.
Perhaps the most symbolic team is Zanskar Chadar Tamers, whose players come from a valley accessible in winter only by trekking over frozen rivers. Their participation alone captures the spirit of Himalayan ice hockey.
Women at the heart of the revolution
The women’s division, with five teams, continues to drive one of the most profound social shifts in Ladakhi sport. Clubs like Changla Lamos, Humas Queens, Shakar Chiktan Queens and Sham Eagles are producing female athletes who are now role models across the region. What makes REIHL different is that women are not only players — they are also referees, coaches and administrators, trained through the league’s technical programs. This has turned ice hockey into a rare space of gender equality in a deeply traditional mountain society.
A technical leap for Indian ice hockey
Season 3 has been built on professional foundations. In late 2025, the league ran “Train the Trainer” and referee certification programs with instructors from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). More than 20 officials and dozens of coaches were trained in modern rules, officiating mechanics and player safety.
At 3,500 metres above sea level, Leh presents extreme physiological challenges. Teams now train with structured aerobic conditioning, periodisation and load management — unheard of just a few years ago. The rink itself is professionally maintained to ensure international-standard ice quality despite intense sunlight and sub-zero temperatures.
REIHL does something no other Indian winter sports league has managed: it creates a full development pipeline. While the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) selects national teams, REIHL produces the players. Without it, India’s national program would have no depth.
The league also fuels Ladakh’s winter economy. Matches bring visitors, media, homestays, transport demand and local commerce into what was once the quietest season of the year. For Royal Enfield, the league aligns with a broader mission to support 100 Himalayan communities by 2030.
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The long-term roadmap is bold: more rinks, longer seasons, more women’s teams and a formal Himalayan league circuit linking Ladakh and Spiti. The ultimate target is not just medals, but representation at the Winter Olympics by 2042.
REIHL Season 3 is no longer an experiment. It is a functioning sports system — one that proves global-level athlete development is possible even in the harshest corners of India.
And when the puck drops in Leh this January, it will echo far beyond the ice — as a signal that Indian winter sport has truly arrived.
