Born in the small town of Saboo, just outside Ladakh’s capital city, Leh, Tsering Angmo grew up doing Judo. But she insists she always loved football. She recalls a childhood filled with kids on every street in town playing football. While most of India prefers cricket, she says Ladakhis have always loved football most. Yet despite a huge passion for the sport, the Union Territory - governed by the administration of Jammu and Kashmir as she grew up - provided few opportunities for football lovers.

Angmo also notes that life was simpler back then. The small town in the Himalayan region was peaceful, despite being a popular tourist destination. She says she does not remember any plastic, litter or packaged foods in Ladakh until roughly 2005. Since then, globalization, increased tourism and commercialization have begun to creep into the Himalayan region, bringing with them increased revenue for locals, but also pollution.

Angmo left Leh for Delhi after completing 10th standard, the equivalent to sophomore year of High School in the U.S. There she took up the Chinese martial art Wushu, competing at the international level for India. However, the sliding doors moment for Angmo was when she got the chance to go to Europe. In Marseille, Angmo’s passion for football was reawakened. She joined a local football club and helped with football operations. Angmo says her time there was a transformative learning experience.

She returned home to Ladakh in 2014, and found the same enthusiasm for football on the streets of the cities. But under the administration of Jammu and Kashmir there were few developmental pathways for young players. After Ladakh gained its autonomy, becoming a Union Territory (UT) in 2019, Angmo saw her opening and founded the Ladakh Football Association (LFA). She is now the General Secretary of the LFA, the only woman in all of India to hold such a prominent position at one of the country’s regional football associations.

General Secretary Angmo does not take her position lightly. She is intent on developing football in the region and providing opportunities for boys and (especially) girls to flourish. She is hoping that by becoming the first woman on the committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) she is already paving the way for girls and women to become more involved in football.

The General Secretary is working hand-in-hand with the UT government and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh (LAHDC Leh) to deliver football programs for locals and improve local sports infrastructure. She says these tasks would have been “impossible without their support.” Angmo is also combining her role at the LFA with her position as Director of the newly formed 1 Ladakh FC.

1 Ladakh FC is the UT’s first professional football club. It is a mere five months old, but is already making inroads in the community. The club was established with the two purposes in mind: 1. To provide a professional outlet for players, 2. To be a vehicle for social and environmental advocacy. To that end, Angmo has been instrumental in helping the new club aid in hosting the 2023 Climate Cup - the first ever climate focused football tournament held above 11,000 feet.

General Secretary Angmo is increasingly worried about environmental issues in Ladakh. Living in a region above 11,000 feet, glaciers and snow melt are the lifeblood of the community. Snow melt from the Himalayan peaks provides crystalline drinking water for locals, while glaciers, snow and wind provide the ideal climate for snow leopards, as well as nomadic sheep herders who turn their flocks’ coats into much-demanded cashmere. But Ms. Angmo notes that the snow which used to be commonplace in Ladakh is disappearing.

Huge changes in weather patterns - due to rising global greenhouse gas emissions - have led to flooding and increased rainfall. The typically arid mountainous landscape is becoming less hospitable to the region’s customary nomadic practices and traditional way of life. But Angmo says tourism in the region continues to grow. While she still welcomes people to her homeland, Secretary Angmo wants locals and guests to take note of the massive environmental changes taking place. She says, “we want all citizens to feel responsible and protect our motherland.” This is why it was so important to Angmo and her fellow directors at 1 Ladakh FC and the LFA to help the government of Ladakh host the 2023 Climate Cup in Leh.

Angmo admits that organizing the tournament had its challenges. She points to the region’s lack of (sporting) infrastructure, and the fact that large events in the region are quite rare as two of the larger stumbling blocks. Yet, the tournament’s greater purpose galvanized locals and visitors alike. The organizers got visiting teams from Tibet and Delhi to come participate, and thus draw support from nearby regions. In attendance for the final match - featuring Delhi FC and Tibetan NSA - were the President of the AIFF, Indian footballing legend Bhaichung Bhutia, and members of some of the 45 regional football clubs. Angmo says it was important to include the Tibetan NSA because they have a similar culture and are also a Himalayan community. She does say that in the future the region hopes to host a larger Climate Cup, but that will have to wait until the infrastructure improves.

With the Climate Cup having concluded a week ago - September 7th - General Secretary Angmo is looking to the future. She admits the future in Ladakh looks challenging, especially due to water scarcity, noting that people need to focus on the glaciers because Ladakh is in danger. Yet, Ms. Angmo is intent on creating opportunities for her people and increasing climate awareness through football. She says she “wants to see Ladhaki women playing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.”