Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025: J&K athletes aim for national glory at Dal Lake

Srinagar, Aug 19 The inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025 is being seen as a life-changer for many. While locals who win their daily bread through tourism are looking forward to the event because it will bring a lot of visitors from all across the country, Jammu and Kashmir athletes see this as a massive opportunity to challenge some of India’s best and win national accolades.

The Khelo India Water Sports Festival from Aug. 21-23 will be a top-tier, Open age competition in three medal sports – rowing, canoeing and kayaking. More than 400 athletes from the 36 states and Union territories are here to compete at the iconic Dal Lake, an established world famous tourist spot.

Muhammad Abbas Kand of Rainawari in Srinagar downtown, has been preparing hard for the upcoming Water Games. He will take part in rowing doubles in the light weight category. Abbas participated in a 21-day camp for water sports athletes organised at the Water Sports Centre in Nehru Park, located inside the Dal Lake and is now raring to go.

“I am hopeful of fetching a gold medal for Jammu and Kashmir. I am also elated that the Games are being held inside Dal Lake. It will give a boost to water sports in the region and also bring the much-needed limelight to water sports athletes like me,” said Abbas.

Abbas, who has won nine state and district level medals and participated in seven national events, including the 37th National Games in Goa, is among the 17 water sports athletes from J&K participating in the competitive sport events at the Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025.

Abbas and other water sports athletes from J&K have been training under the guidance of water sports coaches Parvez Ahmad Shagu of the J&K Police team and Waseem Raja of the J&K Sports Association.

Like Abbas, his fellow water sports athletes from J&K, Irtiza Ali and Muntazir Ali, are also enthusiastic about their participation in the Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025 in the rowing Pairs event.

Irtiza, who hails from the Saida Kadal area of Srinagar and won a bronze medal in the 43rd junior national rowing championships at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, wants to improve his performance and fetch gold this time around. He is also counting a lot of home support.

Zahid Hussain is another J&K water sports athlete who is keen to make a splash in KIWSF. Zahid, a national bronze medal winner, has also won 25 district and state medals. He will be taking part in the canoe slalom event. “Team India water sports athletes will come here. We will learn techniques from them. We will race with them really hard,” Zahid promised.

Marya Jan, a kayaking and canoeing coach, said the Dal Lake Games will lift the profile of water sports in J&K exactly how the Khelo India Winter Games brought world attention on Gulmarg. “The locals have been training hard and should win a lot of medals,” said Marya.

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