Sports Splash — The Kashmir Monitor

Three-day-long Khelo India Water Sports Festival is all set to start on Thursday at Dal Lake. With more than 800 athletes and officials from across 28 states and Union Territories participating, the event will give a much needed boost to water sports development in the Kashmir valley. Rowing, canoeing and kayaking have remained on the margins of sports activity in the Valley. Despite the presence of natural water bodies, the infrastructure and competitive exposure have been limited. Bringing athletes from across the country to compete in Srinagar will immediately raise the standard of competition. Local athletes will not only measure themselves against national benchmarks but also learn from the techniques and training approaches of their peers. The presence of demonstration sports such as water skiing, dragon boat racing, and shikara competitions also broadens the spectrum of possibilities. For young Kashmiris watching the events, exposure to these sports could spark interest in pursuing them at a professional level. Without visible platforms, many potential athletes never discover that their talent can be channelled into recognised sporting disciplines. A recurring national-level event fills that gap by making sport visible, aspirational, and competitive. The impact of the festival will be on tourism. Sporting events of this scale inevitably attract not only athletes but also coaches, officials, families, media, and service providers. In an economy where the tourism sector is a vital employer, such events provide a welcome boost. This festival can become an annual fixture that tourists plan for in advance, much like the Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg have become. When the Winter Games were introduced in Gulmarg, the region experienced a surge of interest from adventure tourists, sports enthusiasts, and athletes who had never previously considered Kashmir as a destination for structured competition. Over time, Gulmarg’s image has shifted from being only a picturesque skiing spot to a recognised hub of winter sports. The same model, if adapted to water sports in Srinagar, could diversify Kashmir’s tourism calendar. Instead of tourism being concentrated around conventional sightseeing or religious travel, adventure sports festivals could generate a parallel stream of visitors who come specifically for competitive events. For Kashmiri athletes, The example of the Winter Games again offers a useful comparison. Kashmiri athletes who had limited exposure to winter sports suddenly found themselves competing against established players from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and other parts of the country. Some rose to the challenge, secured medals, and subsequently gained entry into national camps. The same cycle could repeat with water sports if competitions become regular and systematic. While the festival is a step forward, sustaining its impact will depend on whether infrastructure is built and maintained after the event. Gulmarg’s Winter Games succeeded in part because skiing infrastructure already existed and was expanded. For water sports, similar investments will be necessary in terms of training facilities, boats, equipment, and coaching programs. Institutional support also matters. If water sports are to grow, they require dedicated academies, scholarships and career pathways.

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}