Sagar Firdous
Srinagar, Oct 5 (KNS): Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Ram Nivas Sharma on Monday said the participation of 900 young women from 18 institutions in North Kashmir's first-ever women's sports festival is not just a sports event but a statement about the future of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the North Kashmir Sports Festival at Government Degree College Women's (GDCW) here, Ram Niwas Sharma as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) said, I must begin with a confession that I attended many functions during my more than three decades of service, but whenever this kind of function is there, there are very few occasions where one feels the energy in front of you, energy within yourself.
When you look and talk about 900 young women from 18 institutions, wearing the different colours of their colleges and schools, ready to compete, this is not just a sports event, this is a statement about the future of Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
Describing the participants as the princesses of North Kashmir, Sharma said, Your energy is our real and true wealth of our valley. You are so important to all of us that whatever you are going to do, you are going to take Jammu and Kashmir ahead. Let your hard work echo the spirit of our mountains surrounding the valley—unyielding, tall and proud.
He thanked the Principal and the Department of Physical Education and Sports for organising the event and underlined the significance of it being a first-of-its-kind initiative.
Every tradition has a first year. Years from now, when this festival will be many years old—10, 12, 14, 15—then people will remember who started it and from where. So in that sense, October 2026 would be remembered as a historic day, historic month and a historic place, he said.
Stating that the festival was dedicated to women, Sharma said, Anything being done as a "jo humari beti karti hai" she is not doing anything only for herself. She is doing it as a daughter, as a sister, as a mother in the future. Whenever we have to assess any society, just assess the status of women in that society. So when you have given a sports festival for women, you have done a great work.
The fact that you made this journey already makes you winners. Participation itself is a win, Sharma told the athletes.
Highlighting the role of sports in education, Sharma said the games teach sportsmanship, physical fitness, discipline, teamwork, leadership and a healthy competitive spirit, adding that "certain lessons no classroom can teach—only the playground can."
Sports teach you how to lose with grace and come back stronger, how to win with humility, how to trust a teammate, how to stay calm when your score is against you and the crowd is loud, how to lead. These are the lessons that will help you in your careers, in your families and in your public life, he said.
Referring to the drug abuse challenge in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, If we move our boys and girls towards sports, then we are going to get rid of many ill aspects of society. This is an addition to the people's movement to channelise energy into sports.
Sharma also noted that the National Education Policy 2020 envisions sports and holistic development as integral to learning, and said the higher education department sees sports not as an extracurricular extra but as an essential part of education.
For the young woman, sports carries an additional meaning. When a girl steps into a court in front of an audience, she is telling herself and everyone watching that she belongs there. The young woman who learns to face an opponent without fear will also learn to face an interview in a panel, a boardroom, a courtroom or a public meeting, he said, adding, You will become the strong pillars of society.
Urging the athletes to play fair, respect the referee, respect the rules and respect your opponent, he said, the girl standing across the net from you today may be your colleague, your friend or your fellow officer tomorrow. Play fearlessly—whether you lose or win is immaterial, being on the field itself is a win. There is no shame in defeat, but the only failure is not trying.
Invoking a Kashmiri proverb, Sharma said, "Ye le van jee, te le van pee" when your foundation is strong, the building stands tall. Today on this ground, you are going to build the foundation of your future.
You are our wonderful stars of Jammu and Kashmir. We expect that you do well in life and make us proud, he added.
According to college management teams from Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Handwara, Sumbal, Hajin, Pattan, Tangmarg and Sopore are participating. (KNS)
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