Aug 25, 2025: At the Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) 2025, athletes from Jammu and Kashmir who come from humble families and were trained at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) water sports center on Dal Lake have won four medals, making their Union Territory proud. Their outstanding performance helped Jammu and Kashmir secure seventh place among 28 participating states and Union Territories.

Mohsin Ali won gold in the men's K-1 1000-meter kayaking, Sajad Hussain took silver in the men's C-2 500-meter canoe slalom, Muhammad Hussain took silver in the men's C-2 500-metre canoeing, and Sajad Hussain took bronze in the men's C-1 1000-metre canoeing. Mohsin is the son of a carpenter, Sajad is the son of a shikarawala (boatman), and Muhammad is the son of a vegetable vendor. All three athletes come from economically disadvantaged families. Their commitment was made possible by the training and facilities provided by the SAI's Nehru Park Centre, which made it possible for their families to support their passion for water sports despite financial difficulties. These young athletes' lives have been transformed in large part thanks to the SAI center in Dal Lake. The athletes have received comprehensive training and support from dedicated coaches, particularly Zulfkar Ali Bhat. Sajad Hussain, reflecting on his journey, shared that balancing school and training was a challenge, but the encouragement and assistance from coaches made it possible.

“When we used to train in the mornings, our coach Zulfkar Ali Bhat would even drop us to school. He recalled, "We used to change into our uniforms in his car." Sajad observed the difficulty of pursuing an endurance sport like canoeing, which necessitates a healthy diet and consistent training—luxuries his family could not afford—while he was growing up in Mir Bahri, a neighborhood in the interiors of Dal Lake. “After school, I would row a shikara or take up any manual work to support myself and avoid being a burden on my family,” he said.

Muhammad Hussain echoed similar challenges, acknowledging the role of SAI in his progress. “Our financial situation made it impossible to train on our own. The training at SAI’s Nehru Park Centre made all the difference,” he said.
Mohsin Ali, who won the gold, shared how he too contributed to his family’s income by riding a shikara. “Without SAI’s support, winning gold would have been unimaginable,” he said.

Coach Zulfkar Ali Bhat emphasized that the majority of Jammu and Kashmir's water sports athletes come from working-class families. None of them are businesspeople or bureaucrats' children. He stated, "Their success is the result of hard work, not privilege." He emphasized the significance of long-term planning, particularly in light of India's preparations for the Olympics in 2036. “We need a National Centre of Excellence in Srinagar. Zulfkar stated, "This would not only benefit the talent around Dal Lake, but it would also attract athletes from across India." "I am confident we will see athletes from Kashmir make India proud at the Asian Games, World Championships, and even the Olympics if we start preparing now."