The efforts are being made by the present administration of Jammu and Kashmir to engage more and more youth of the region in sports activities, which results the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are achieving accolades at National, International levels and coming up with flying colours.

Besides the achievements in all other sports disciplines, reaching another milestone, trainees of J&K Sports Council’s Gymnastic Academy are all set to represent the Indian gymnastic contingent for participation in the senior and junior Asian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship in Pattaya, Thailand from 23rd to 26th of this month.

The gymnasts of J&K include senior gymnast Bavleen Kaur and junior gymnasts Muskan Rana, Manya, Vaibhavi Sharma, Jagriti Thakur, Himani Gupta, and Shivangi.

Junior gymnasts left yesterday evening for the venue while Bavlin who was in Baku, Azerbaijan is joining the Indian team in Thailand today.

Mittali, Junior Coach of J&K Sports Council and the most decorated gymnast of J&K during the last two decades has been named as the coach of the Junior Indian Team.

The participation of the Indian Rhythmic gymnastics contingent has been cleared on cost to the Sports Authority of India, Government of India.

The J&K gymnasts were selected during a battery of selection trials held on 2-3 June 2022 in Jammu under the overall supervision of Er. Kiran Wattal, Vice President of Gymnastics Federation of India along with GFI selection committee members comprising of Arjuna Awardee, Dr. Kalpana Debnath, Varsha Upadhye, and Chairperson of GFI RG Technical Committee and Arjuna Awardee, Krupali Patel Singh.

The Indian contingent to participate in the senior championship comprises of Bavleen Kaur from J&K competing in the individual event along with Sanyukta Kale, Ananya Soman from Maharashtra whereas Vaibhavi Bapat, Janhavi, Sanya, Soumya, Mihika, and Shrushti Patel from Maharashtra will compete in a group event in the senior category.

The junior gymnasts include Muskan Rana of J&K who is participating in the individual category besides Upasha from Assam, Kimaya, and Parina from Maharashtra. The gymnasts scheduled to compete in group events include Muskan Rana, Manya, Himani Gupta, Vaibhavi Sharma, Shivangi, and Jagriti Thakur.

The entire Indian team of junior group events has been drawn among the gymnasts from J&K as only they impressed the selectors by exhibiting the highest levels of skill and rhythm during trials.

Congratulating the J&K Sports Council Gymnastics Academy team, Secretary Sports Council Nuzhat Gull said, ‘I am sure our team will come up with flying colours, especially J&K girls will prove their mettle in the championship as they are second to none’.

She also appreciated the role of coaches and other support staff of J&K Sports Council Gymnastics Academy in training gymnasts and honing their skills to match the standards of their counterparts from other parts of the world.

Secretary Sports Council also announced the rousing welcome to successful J&K gymnasts on their return to J&K.

The sports council under the directions of office of the lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir is relentlessly working to pay a platform to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to showcase their talent while as a local non governmental organization Voice for Peace and Justice is working parllely for uplifting the sports culture in the region so that the alienation can be finished. The organization is currently hosting the 4th edition of Kashmir mega football tournament which has more than 40 teams from across the Kashmir.

The Voice for peace and Justice is sheduled to organize the National championship of Arm Wrestling which will be participated by the players from 26 states of India.

It is pertinent to mention that sports culture in Jammu and Kashmir is on rise and youngsters are opting the sports over the alienated line which was drawn by the separatists