A SON AND HIS FATHER : A PARAGON FOR YOUTH AND SPORTS OF KASHMIR
Sports greatness is associated to qualities like hard work, practice, youth, patience, perseverance, dedication and sometimes genetics helps for excellence. In a rarest of rare combination in the pristine avenue of youth and sports in the valley here is a duo of ‘a son and father’ that have shared the limelight in contribution to the field of sports.
A visit to the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST) campus lead to the acquaintance of an enterprising, focussed, sports oriented, jubilant teacher of laudable sportsmanship at SKUAST Dr Ajaz Ahmed Qureshi. A brief interaction highlighted his flair for sports and youth empowerment of Kashmir. As he deliberated on the nuances, skills and sports in the life of the youth in Kashmir his own life turned out to be an example and a guiding light. Not only his passion and conviction towards sports were admirable it is vouched by the discovery of a fact that a budding shining badminton star of Jammu and Kashmir Ibrahim Bin Ajaz Qureshi a tall, athletic, agile, flexible, nimble footed young player is none other than the son of Dr Ajaz Ahmed Qureshi the jubilant teacher sitting next to us. The teacher though jubilant and cheerful in manner was poised with his steely resolve and determination for sports deeply ingrained in his body language. The excellence with the badminton racket of his son the young lad Ibrahim Bin Azaz Quershi and the contribution of teacher himself in the field of youth and sports affairs is surely an inspiration to be exalted as a ‘son and a father duo’ from the Kashmir valley.
The Badminton journey of Ibrahim Bin Ajaz Qureshi started at the age of seven when his father took him to witness 1st ever senior Badminton Nationals at Indoor Stadium Srinagar in which India’s all top players like PV Sindhu, P Kashyap, Sania Nehwal, Srikanth and other sports celebrities participated. While watching the matches in an exhilarating environment Ibrahim got determined and voiced his inclination to pursue sport as his avocation. From that day in the year 2013 Ibrahim Qureshi started playing badminton in indoor stadium Srinagar almost daily to cherish his dream. Considering her sons dream mother of Ibrahim left her University job to accompany her son to stadium daily after his school hours. All this dedication has inspired the young mind of Ibrahim Qureshi to rise in the ranks of badminton as his preferred sport with alacrity.
Ibrahim is the first Badminton player from J&K State who ranked high at 32nd Rank in 2017, 28th Rank in 2018 and 18th Rank in 2020 in under 13 and under 15 age category respectively at national level. The ranking list is conferred by the Badminton Association of India. This performance is in spite of the fact that no international or professional training was offered to him. Ibrahim is all praise from locals, senior players and coaches from their critical analysis of his game. Full marks to the guidance he got from his local coaches which shaped his game and enabled him to achieve multiple feats.
He is the first Under 14 Khelo India State Champion in 2018-19. After winning three state champions in 2018, Ibrahim got an opportunity in ‘Padukone-Dravid Sports for excellence Academy’ in Bangalore being nominated by Badminton Association of India for a three weeks coaching camp. Ibrahim has recently won HCL Sponsored Badminton National final held at Lucknow in December 2019 and was awarded one year scholarship for winning the National title.
The Kashmir valley which has a chequered history of pro-separatism, regionalism and hordes of youth who get carried away by disillusionment of fundamentalist and radicalist net the effort from this young champion serves as an paragon of perfection a sterling example towards the brighter future of youth of Kashmir to follow. Ibrahim has nailed the fact that righteous path of self belief, determination and conviction can transform the life of youth towards excellence. It is very heartening to capture the smiles of Dr Azaz Ahmad as he was narrating his son’s sports voyage.
Now talking about the contribution of father himself his jubilance has been transformed into controlled modesty. He Dr. Ajaz Ahmad Qureshi a multi talented, dynamic teacher from SKUAST-Kashmir is presently working in Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry and a Course Instructor for Faculty of Fisheries students, teaching Physical Education. He is also the Students Welfare Officer, with additional assignments of Programme
