Sankoo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sankoo
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A lush green barley field at Kausar, Sankoo in Kargil district
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 Sankoo
Location in Ladakh
Sankoo
Location in India
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| Country |  India |
| Union Territory |  Ladakh |
| District | Kargil |
| Tehsil | Sankoo |
| Population
(2011)
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| • Total | 40,548 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Ladakhi, Hindi |
| • Spoken | Ladakhi, Balti, Purgi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN |
194301
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Sankoo (Wylie: sang ku) is a town located in a valley within the Kargil district of Ladakh, India. This town is about 42 kilometers south of Kargil city. The valley looks like a bowl and has many streams flowing into it from the Suru River and the Nakpochu River.
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How Sankoo is Managed
Sankoo is a special area, or 'sub-division,' inside the Kargil district. A leader called the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) manages Sankoo. Right now, Mrs. Kaneez Fatima is the SDM of Sankoo.
These sub-divisions are split into smaller parts called 'tehsils.' Tehsils help collect money for the government and handle other local tasks. A 'Tehsildar' is in charge of each tehsil. Sankoo has one main hospital (CHC hospital) and a big school called Aga Syed Haider Rizvi Memorial Higher Secondary School. Many villages are part of the Sankoo area, like Sangra, Stakpa, Umba, Lankarchay, Thasgam, Barso, Farona, and Nagma Kousar.
Schools in Sankoo
The main school in Sankoo is the Aga Syed Haider Rizvi Memorial Higher Secondary School. There are also two important private schools: Noon Public High School and Sankoo Public School. These schools work together with the government to give students a good education that everyone can get.
Why People Want a New District
In February 2020, about 3,000 people gathered in Sankoo to ask for their region to become a separate district. They stood in very cold weather, showing how important this issue is to them.
Ladakh is a new Union Territory in India. It was created after the state of Jammu and Kashmir was divided. Ladakh now has two districts: Leh and Kargil, with similar numbers of people.
Kargil district has four main areas: Kargil, Zanskar, Sankoo, and Shakar-Chiktan. The people protesting in Sankoo want Zanskar and Sankoo to become a new, separate district. They believe this would help manage the area better.
They say that their area is far away, and many parts get cut off from Kargil during heavy snow in winter. This makes it hard for people to get important services. Youth Sankoo, a local group, organized these protests. Many religious groups and political parties also supported the idea.
Sankoo's Weather
Summers in Sankoo are mild and warm. However, the winters are very cold and harsh. The best times to visit are usually April and September.
Because of global warming, the glaciers in the area are shrinking fast. This could cause problems for water supplies in the future. Some of these shrinking glaciers include the Nangma Serpo glacier, Batacho glacier, Umba Glacier, and Gangshanmo. More studies are needed to understand these changes.
Sankoo's Geography
The Kartsey Khar valley is located in Sankoo. A famous place in the valley is the Chamba monastery. This is one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in Asia. The valley is also home to the old graveyard of an ancient Muslim Queen named Rgyal Khatoon.
Places to Visit
Many people from Kargil town and other places come to Sankoo for picnics. There is also a special religious place, the shrine of a Muslim scholar-saint named Sayed Mir Hashim. He was invited from Kashmir in the 16th century to teach about Islam. This happened after the Buddhist ruler of the Suru Valley, Thi-Namgyal, became Muslim. The shrine is in the village of Karpo-Kharon, just outside Sankoo.
