Sports and outdoor activities are excellent tools that can (and therefore must) be used to transform youth into an organised, self-confident and competent workforce to realise the overarching goal of socio-economic development. No wonder promoting sports among the youth in Jammu and Kashmir has been one of the areas of prime focus of the UT administration since August 2019.
Using sports as a medium to positively channelise the energy and potential of the young generation has been integral to the development of our nation’s human capital ever since 1982 when we hosted the Asian Games in New Delhi.
On February 3, 2022, the J&K government announced a new sports policy aimed at enabling Kashmiri youth to excel in sporting activities and scale new heights. This policy was introduced at a time when the millennial youth of the region started experiencing the return of normalcy in J&K and were seeking constructive avenues to showcase their abilities.
There has been a growing realisation that peace and development can also be achieved by empowering both the youth and women through improved sports, health and education infrastructure, besides social and cultural initiatives.
Data provided by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports reveals a substantial rise in sports infrastructure in J&K. For example, in 2014-15, while there were a mere 21 Khelo India Centres in J&K, by 2020-21, this number has gone up six times to an impressive 127. Today, J&K has nine sports stadiums as opposed to two, nine years ago, while the number of playing fields has gone up from 50 to 300.
A pivotal role in developing sports facilities across the UT has been played by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (J&KSC), which by working overtime with exemplary dedication has been able to create 82 new playing fields and is aiming at adding another 170. It has also taken a lead role in upgrading 77 existing sports facilities. Thus, for young and talented sportspersons of J&K, an environment to excel is being provided.
Disciplines like football, cricket and wushu have emerged as the most popular sports in Jammu and Kashmir. For example, Real Kashmir FC, a football club, has been participating in the I-League, a top division of Indian football, since 2018. In 2021, the club won the prestigious Durand Cup, which is one of the oldest football tournaments in Asia.
Recognising the potential of winter sports in J&K, the Jammu and Kashmir Winter Games Association (J&KWGA) has been organising the Khelo India Winter Games since 2020. In 2021, these games saw the participation of over 1,000 athletes from across the country, which is indicative of the fact that J&K has emerged as a new sports destination in India.
Today, J&K has its fair share of sporting icons. For instance, there is 11-year-old Tajamul Islam, who won gold at the World Kickboxing Championship. Javed Ahmed won a bronze medal in cycling at the 2018 Asian Games. Mehrajuddin Wadoo is a football star who has won the I-League and the Durand Cup. Ishfaq Ahmed is part of the Indian national football team, all-rounder Parvez Ghulam Rasool Zargar and fast bowler Umran Malik have represented India in cricket.
Top J&K players Surya Bhanu Partap Singh, Abhishek Jamwal and Jiya Manhas emerged winners in this year’s Wushu Stars Championship held in Moscow, Russia, as did 17-year-old Sadia Tariq in 2022. Farooq Ahmed Dar is a top para-athlete of J&K, while Shabnam Bashir has excelled in martial arts, clinching gold at the 2019 National Kickboxing Championships.
Placing paramount importance on sports, the J&K government has recognised its potential power to aspire, inspire and unite. It is taking pains to ensure the availability of world-class facilities to budding sportspersons and even support them through various initiatives and by providing financial assistance.
A decade ago, Kashmir was synonymous with terrorism, militancy, civilian unrest, street clashes and instability. Today, it has an economy that is performing well, a society that is at peace with itself, and a booming tourism industry and hospitality sector. The agriculture and horticulture sectors are on the mend, J&K is an emerging giant in the field of sports and adventure activity.
The author is Editor Brighter Kashmir, Author, TV commentator, political analyst and columnist. Email: [email protected]. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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