SAI centre at Dal Lake pushing J&K youth towards water sports

Srinagar:  Not known as a top performer at the national level, Jammu & Kashmir has done well in the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) 2025, which concluded at the iconic Dal Lake here on Saturday. The main reason for their success is the Sports Authority of India (SAI), especially the centre set up at Nehru Park inside Dal Lake.

The centre is playing a major role in turning around the careers of these water sports athletes from J&K, who all come from indigent families that struggle to make ends meet.

Mohsin Ali is a carpenter’s son, Sajad Hussain is the son of a Shikarawala, while Muhammad Hussain was born to a vegetable vendor, and none of them would have brought laurels for their state in the Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF), 2025, but for SAI.

Mohsin won gold in K-1 1000 metre men’s kayaking, Sajad claimed silver in C-2 500 metre Canoe Slalom, and Hussain took silver in C-2 Canoe 500 metres men and bronze in C-1 Canoe 1000 metres men. Their performance enabled hosts J&K to finish seventh among 28 states and Union Territories that took part in the Games.

Mohsin, Sajad, and Hussain have all been honing their skills under the guidance of SAI’s water sports coaches at Nehru Park Centre.

Sajad said that the centre not only provides training to them but also all possible support. “After training at the Nehru Park Centre in the mornings, our SAI coach Zulfkar Ali Bhat would drop us off at school, as that would start soon after. We used to put on our school uniform in his car after training at the centre,” he said.

Hailing from the Mir Bahri area in the interiors of the Dal Lake, Sajad said that being a Shikarawallah’s son, it was difficult to venture into endurance sports like canoeing, as it requires a proper diet, besides hard work and proper training.

“We don’t have the means to even have the basic diet, and asking for a proper diet meant for water sports athletes is not possible for families like us,” Sajad was quoted as saying by SAI Media on Saturday: “Resultantly, after attending school, I would ride a Shikara or do any manual work that helps me sustain myself and not be a burden on the family.” IANS

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