Nine ice speed skaters from Leh district of Ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir are participating in the Asian Short Track Ice Speed Skating tournament. The event begins in Beijing, China today. Our Leh correspondent reports that the Ladakhi ice speed skaters are participating for the first time in an international event. In Uttar Pradesh a senior Indian Administrative Officer Anoop Misra has been appointed as new Chief Secretary of the state. He is 45th Chief Secretary of the state. A 1978 batch officer Mr. Mishra has joined against his new posting in the place of out going Chief Secretary Atul Kumar Gupta who has been retired from service after age of superstition.