The sports sector in the State witnessed mixed moments-both pleasant and unpleasant during the year 2015. While, on the one hand, Gymnasts, Wushu players, Judokas, Paddlers and Canoeists kept the State’s flag high at the National and International scene, on the other hand, internal bickering within the elitist sports body-the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), badly affected the State teams and drastically declined their performance graph in the BCCI Tournaments. Rajesh Dhar recounts both these moments, which are now a part of the sports history of the State.
Surya Bhanu Partap
creates history
Surya Bhanu Partap Singh created history by winning prestigious bronze medal in the World Wushu Championship held recently in at Jakarta in Indonesia. He also clinched gold in 35th National Games held at Kerala in January 2015. Bhanu Partap and Rajinder claimed bronze medals in Pars Cup held in Iran earlier in the year. These winners attributed their success to coach Kuldeep Handoo, who has the distinction of being Wushu Coach of India.
Gymnasts blossom
Ace gymnasts of the State namely Mitali Dogra, Palak Kour and likes continued their customary business of winning medals at the national scene in the year 2015. Mitali, Palak, Mridul Gupta and Pawandeep Kour won a team gold in 35th National Games. Palak clinched 2 gold and one silver and Mitali claimed one gold and 2 bronze medals in these Games. These meritorious sportspersons are the trainees of Gymnastics coaches including Arjuna Awardee, Krupali Patel Singh, SP Singh and Manisha Gupta.
Wadoo shines
Jammu and Kashmir’s iconic footballer, Mehraj-ud-Din Waddoo, who has been bringing laurels for the State from a decade, has done it again by lifting the Indian Super League (ISL) title with his franchisee side Chennaiyin Football Club, recently.
Ansari makes BCCI cut
Minister for Information Technology, Technical Education and Youth Services and Sports, Molvi Imran Raza Ansari made it to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by being nominated in prestigious BCCI Committees in the recently held AGM. Apart from the Sports Minister, BCCI vice president, ML Nehru, Rajeet Kalra and Ankush Abrol were retained in the Sub Committees. Kalra was also renominated Member of J&K Sports Council and its Standing Committee and named Chairman of High Level State Committee to liaison with Ministry of Sports, Government of India.
J&K Forest team sets record
Jammu and Kashmir State Forest team set a record by winning gold medal in Football, Billiards and Snooker and a silver medal in Cricket in the recently held 22nd National Forest Sports Meet at Bangaluru in Karnataka.
Bali Bhagat creates history
J&K Forest Minister, Bali Bhagat, created history by becoming the first ever Forest Minister of the Country to represent the State Forest team in the prestigious National Level Football event. He was part of the J&K team that won gold medal in Football during 22nd National Forest Sports Meet at Bangaluru in Karnataka.
Ishan makes it to European Club
17-year old footballer Ishan Pandita, a permanent resident of Tral in Valley, presently at Bangaluru in Karnataka, is all set for the Spanish ball as he has made it to professional European Club UD Almeria to play in Under-18 team, which played in prestigious La-Liga last season
State wins galaxy of medals
in Water Sports
The State of Jammu and Kashmir won galaxy of medals in Water Sports events throughout the year 2015. J&K contingents led by India coach, Bilquis Mir won galaxy of medals in the National Championships held during the year. Ace canoeist Munir Malik is presently part of India Camp for Canoe Slalom. During the year, J&K emerged overall champion in Federation Cup and won four medals in Senior Nationals, besides winning a gold in 200 meters Dragon Boat at Bhopal and a bronze medal in Canoe Polo. Above all, Bilquis Mir, who has been serving as National Kayaking & Canoeing coach from over five years , has brought laurels to the State and the Country as well in the year 2015.
Atul continues artistry in Taekwondo
Atul Pangotra, who ahs won laurels for the State, many a time, continued his artistry in Taekwondo this year also. He represented the Country in Taekwondo Australian Open and his student Kajal clinched gold in Senior National Taekwondo Championship at Cuttack in Odisha.
Ian, Parvez, Manhas slam
big tons in Ranji
J&K’s star cricketers Parvez Rasool, Ian Dev Singh Chauhan and Mithun Manhas slammed big hundreds in the ranji Trophy during this season. Ian scored three centuries, while rasool and Manhas hit two centuries each. Apart from this talented trio, Abhinav Puri, Pranav Gupta, Umar Nisar, Jatin Wadhawan, Shubham Singh Pundir and Kamran Iqbal scored magnificent hundreds in their respective age groups during the season.
Praful emerges highest wicket taker
Young off-spinner Praful Dhar emerged highest wicket taker in India by claiming 14 wickets in four T20 matches of 60th National School Games Under-14 Boys Cricket Tournament held in Telangana in February 2015. Praful took 8/6 against Karnataka and 11/5 against Gujarat in this Tournament and helped J&K to enter semifinals.
J&K gets Rs 200 cr sports package
Union Sports Ministry has sanctioned a special package of Rs 200 crores for raising sports infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir and giving fillip to sports in the State. This initiative of the Central as well as the State Government will go a long way in promoting sports and games in nooks and corners of the State.
J&K hosts galaxy of Nationals
Jammu and Kashmir hosted a series of National Level events in sports during the year 2015. Winter Games at Gulmarg, Under-19 Boys Football Championship at Srinagar, Water Sports event at Srinagar, Under-17 Girls Cricket Championship at Jammu and National Level Women Sports Competitions at Jammu are a few National events to name.
Judoka Shweta
wins gold
Gritty judoka, Shweta Thakur won gold medal in the Senior National Judo Championship held at Chandigarh recently. Shweta is the trainee of Judo coach Suraj Bhan Singh. For the success of Judo players like Shweta, Nippu Jamwal and Shiksha Bhau, apart from Suraj Bhan, other coaches and promoters of the game like Arshi Nad, Reetika Slathia and Mr Vikas deserve appreciation.
Pallav bags bronze in skating
Pallav Gupta won bronze medal in skating, the lone medal by the State in the 51st National School Games in the discipline of skating all age groups (U-14 to U-19) held at Bhelgaon in Karnataka, recently. Pallav clinched medal in Under-19 boys speed event.
J&K U-17 Girls Cricket
team bags gold
Jammu and Kashmir eves won gold medal in the 61st National School Games Under-17 Girls Cricket Championship, organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports, under the auspices of School Games Federation of India (SGFI) and under the patronage of DG Sports J&K, Jahangir Mir at Jammu. J&K defeated Telangana in the finals. The State team was selected, trained and coached by the officers and officials of the Department including Anju Gupta, Rajesh Dhar, Pankaj Sasan and Satika Sharma.
Ace fencing coaches and players posing for a photograph after investiture ceremony organized for felicitating outstanding sports persons in Jammu.
JKP wrestler Benia Min wins silver
Jammu and Kashmir (JKP) wrestler Benia Min won silver medal in All India Police Games held at Madhuban in Haryana recently. Min has the honour of bringing laurels to the Police Department as well as to the State at almost all levels of wrestling.
JU team maintains supremacy
Jammu University Employees Cricket team maintained its supremacy by clinching silver medal in the All India Vice Chancellors T20 Cricket Cup held at Gorakhpur University recently. JU team lost to Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi in the summit clash. Jammu University team has the distinction of entering final of the prestigious Tournament for 4th consecutive season.
Govt felicitates 38 outstanding sportspersons
To give fillip to sports in the State, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir presented cash awards to 38 outstanding sportspersons of the State in an impressive function, organised by J&K State Sports Council in Jammu recently. This award is really a great initiative by the State Government to give impetus to sports in the State.
Boxers sparkle
J&K boxers namely Pardeep Sharma, Dheeraj Kumar and Anju Bala clinched bronze in the 35th National Games held at Kerala earlier this year. Boxer Harpal Singh also claimed a gold in Senior National held at Nagpur, while Pardeep Sharma clinched a gold in BR Ambedkar Cup at Jabalpur. Pardeep also claimed a silver medal in World Military Games held at Seoul in South Korea during the year. These boxers are the trainees of boxing coach Anil Wadhera.
Fencers dazzle; Vansh,
Teja represent India
As per their custom of shining at the higher levels, the State fencers sparkled in the year 2015 by wonning 15 medals in the National Level Tournaments, including 2 bronze medals in prestigious 35th National Games at Kerala and one gold in Under-23 Youth Games. The team of Kerala National Games included Rashid Ahmed, Ujjwal Gupta, Vishal Thappar and Javed Ahmed. Above all, Vansh Mahajan won bronze in Cadet Nationals and represented India alongwith Teja Singh in Commonwealth Cadet and Junior event at Cape Town in South Africa. The fencers attribute their excellent performance to the sheer-dint of hard work by fencing coaches Chotu Lal and Rachna Jamwal.
Average, dismal show
The year witnessed dismal to average show from almost all the other games at the National Level. Some prominent recognised sports disciplines where the players or the teams either gave dismal or average performances included Hockey, Football, Badminton, Table Tennis, Basketball, Archery, Handball, Tennis Ball Cricket and Athletics. Moreover, the state witnessed poor show by the organizers and sponsors as one of the state Volleyball teams participated in the prestigious women nationals without sports shoes and proper kit.
Minister for Forests, Bali Bhagat displaying his soccer skills during a football match at Bangaluru in Karantaka
Poorest ever DISPLAY by cricket teams
The year 2015 witnessed poorest ever performance from all the teams sponsored by the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) to represent the State in the Tournaments, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI). In the current season J&K won just one match in Under-19 Boys Cooch Behar Trophy and faced humiliating defeats against all the rivals in all age groups from Under-14 category to Ranji Trophy level, including Under-19 and Senior Girls. Even the records were set against the poor J&K teams during the season. Under-19 girls team was bundled out for a paltry totals of 10, 27, 36 and 47 runs in the four matches played in the season, while the State’s Under-16 boys cricket team was bundled out for meagre 36 runs in Vijay Merchant Trophy against Delhi’s mammoth total of over 500 runs. J&K remained at the bottom of the table in almost all the categories. The philosophy behind J&K’s heavy thrashing against all the rivals was the internal bickering and factionalism in JKCA, which gave rise to favouritism and even nepotism in selecting players as also the support staff.
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