SRINAGAR, Oct 14: A two-day boxing championship has been organised in Kashmir to promote the sport in this region, where a 23-year-old violence marked by systemic collapse is waning.
On Sunday, minister for sports, R.S. Chib inaugurated the Prof. Nazir Ahmed Khan district Boxing Championship-2012 for boys and girls at the Sher-i-Kashmir indoor sports stadium in capital Srinagar.
Although boxing as a sport has little takers among the valley’s youth, the Srinagar Amateur Boxing Association said they have organised the championship to commemorate the contributions of Prof. Nazir Ahmad Khan, who, they said, was an ace boxer and won laurels at many national and state level boxing tournaments including the Aligarh Muslim University Boxing Championship.
“Nazir Ahmed Khan was the first person who introduced Boxing and Lawn Tennis sports in SP College,” an official spokesperson said.
Sports activities are picking up in Kashmir as guns have nearly fallen silent after an armed conflict involving militants and security forces killed tens of thousands since 1989.
This year at least two of the country’s premier football clubs played matches against the host team, a significant move as they visited the state after a gap of nearly three decades.
The minsiter also expressed his gratitude to the Union Minister for Sports and Youth affairs, Ajay Maken for extending a helping hand for developing new and upgradation of existing sports infrastructure in the state.
“The Union Ministry has taken significant steps for the encouragement of sports persons in which it has been decided that the marks obtained in sports activities would be included in overall merit of the student,” he added.
