Sports in Jammu and Kashmir
[4] The second edition of the winter games were also held successfully in Gulmarg in 2020 with Jammu and Kashmir coming first and Karnataka second.
[5] Jammu and Kashmir has produced numerous international and national level players including Gul Dev, the first Kashmiri Olympian, numerous Indian Premier League cricketers such as Abdul Samad and Mithun Manhas, icestockers such as Aadil Manzoor Peer, Mohammad Sarfaraz and Faheem Masood Shah, sharp shooter Chain Singh and footballer Mehrajuddin Wadoo among others.
Game included markhor, ibex, ther, serow, goral, burhel, deer, antelope, yak, wolf, sambhur and others.
[8][9][10][11][12] The Indian Army also conducts sporting activities for the youth in the region through various welfare initiatives such as Operation Sadbhavana.
On 24 September 2020, the one-year anniversary of the Fit India Movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi digitally interacted with sportspersons across the country, including Afshan Asiq.
Recently Ifran Pathan was made the mentor and coach of the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team.
Popular players to have come from the region include Parvez Rasool, Abdul Samad, Mithun Manhas, Rasikh Salam and Manzoor Dar[22] who have played T20 IPL matches for team such as Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab.
[27] There is criticism related to excessive politicization and lack of professionalism and support in development of the sport in the region.
[32][33] Mehrajuddin Wadoo from Srinagar has represented the India national football team and also plays in the Indian Super League.
[34] Jammu and Kashmir has produced nineteen international players[35] (from the school level to the senior team) such as Abdul Majeed Kakroo.
Players from the region have been part of top football teams in India such as Mohun Bagan A.C. and East Bengal F.C.
[36] Basit Ahmed and Mohammed Renbar were chosen to play football with Sociedad Deportiva Lenense Proinastur (SD Lenense), a third division Spanish team, part of a public outreach program of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and J&K Football Association.
[39] Basketball is a sport which does not attract much attention in India but the condition is even worse in Jammu and Kashmir where political turmoil often undermines the potential of the players.
Having created a strong base the state is trying to capitalise on the foundations to popularise basketball in Jammu and Kashmir.
[43][44] Jammu and Kashmir, with its hilly terrain and swift flowing rivers, offers opportunities for water skiing, paragliding and mountaineering.
Sonam Wangyal, also from Leh, climbed Mount Everest when he was 23, making him the youngest person to do so at the time.
His efforts have significantly contributed to the rising interest in ice stock and other winter sports in the region.
[53] Jammu and Kashmir has 19 stadiums, 23 training centers, three indoor sports complexes and 43 government maintained playing fields.
[16] Under the Rehab-e-Khel scheme, national and international level sports medalists hired as full-time instructors in government schools of Jammu and Kashmir earn only ₹3,000 a month as reported by Hindustan Times.
