Kashmir has given rise to some of the most talented sportspersons in India. From famous footballers like Mehrajuddin Wadoo and Abdul Majeed Kakroo to some of the recent IPL and ISL stars like Rasikh Salam and Danish Farooq, Kashmir has witnessed a generation of talented sportspersons over the years.
The valley already has the next crop of athletes ready to take center stage. Here are the 3 young Kashmiri athletes to watch out for.
Tajamul Islam
Tajamul Islam is a 16-year-old kickboxer from the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir. She started kickboxing at a very young age and trained in a local kickboxing academy.
At the age of 7, Islam won a sub-junior National Kickboxing championship in New Delhi becoming the youngest kickboxing champion in the world.
As the pressure from society tried to derail her dream of becoming a professional kickboxer, her parents became her pillars of support and allowed her to pursue her dreams. She then won a state-level wushu championship in 2016 and became the youngest-ever gold medal winner of the competition.
Islam then flew to Italy to participate in a sub-junior World Kickboxing Championship. She won six fights in five days and became the youngest-ever kickboxing champion in the world.
Islam’s success at such a young age is a motivation for young girls who want to become professional athletes. She has even started a kickboxing academy named ‘Haider Sports Academy’ in Bandipora where young girls from different parts of the valley learn kickboxing. She even trains women of all age groups in self-defense.
Sahil Khursheed
Sahil Khursheed is an 18-year-old footballer from Srinagar. His love for the sport started at a tender age and he joined the Real Kashmir academy to pursue his dream of becoming a professional footballer. He developed under the experienced coaches of Real Kashmir FC and became one of the most skillful players in his age group.
Khursheed was included in the India U-19 SAFF team where he scored a crucial goal for his national team. For his performances in the competition, the forward was handed a contract by the Blasters which would keep him at the club until the summer of 2026. He participated in the RF Development League making 5 appearances for Kerala Blasters U-19 side.
Khursheed’s career has been highly influenced by players like Sunil Chhetri, Danish Farooq, and Suhail Ahmad Bhat, and he wants to represent the Indian National Football Team in the coming years. His talent and discipline are destined to take him far in his career and it remains to be seen how big an impact he makes in Indian football.
Sadia Tariq
Sadia Tariq is a 17-year-old Wushu player hailing from Srinagar city of Jammu and Kashmir. Her father, Tariq Lone, motivated her towards sports and wanted her to pursue any sports as a career, and having initially chosen cricket, she finally set her sights on Wushu.
Tariq started training in local academies and participated in all local-level competitions. She was then shortlisted to represent the J&K Wushu team at LPU University Jalandhar in the 20th Junior National Wushu championships. Tariq secured the gold medal for her state leaving her mark on the national stage.
The 17-year-old then represented India in the ‘Moscow Wushu Stars championship’ held in Moscow Russia in 2022. She secured the gold again, this time for her nation underlining the huge strides she took in a short span of time.
In 2023, she bagged a bronze medal in the Khelo India Women’s Wushu League which was held in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
Tariq’s journey has been an inspiration to young athletes across Kashmir and she continues to develop her skills in her bid to take on bigger challenges in her career.
Read More: 3 Young Kashmiri Footballers to Watch Out For
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
