CM Omar Abdullah distributes cash awards among 580 outstanding J&K sportspersons, international athletes

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 10 (STC): An amount of Rs. 2.71 crore was today distributed as cash awards to 580 outstanding sportspersons and international athletes from Jammu and Kashmir in recognition of their achievements in the field of sports.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah presented the awards at a Special Cash Award Ceremony held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC). The Chief Minister personally handed over awards, which pertain to the years 2023-24 and 2024-25, to 22 sportspersons, while the awards to the remaining beneficiaries were disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) directly into their bank accounts.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister felicitated J&K MMA fighter Owais Yaqoob for his remarkable victory at BRAVE CF 107 in Bulgaria, where he defeated an unbeaten two-time IMMAF World Champion in a display of skill, determination and grit.
The Chief Minister congratulated the awardees and said the cash awards marked the beginning of the Government’s efforts to provide greater support and encouragement to sporting talent in Jammu and Kashmir.
“I would like to congratulate all the awardees from the bottom of my heart. This is the result of your hard work,” he said, stressing that athletes can deliver better results when provided with the right facilities, coaching, equipment and training opportunities.
Acknowledging the contribution of parents and families in supporting young athletes, the Chief Minister said, “We should also increase this gradually, so that our athletes do not have to worry about investing in coaching, training, equipment, travel, etc. We should not put too much pressure on your families and parents.”
Emphasising the need to address gaps in sports infrastructure, Omar Abdullah said Jammu and Kashmir must significantly improve facilities at the grassroots level. He pointed to the shortage of synthetic tracks, quality playing surfaces, indoor facilities and other training infrastructure, particularly in mountainous and winter zones where adverse weather limits outdoor training for several months.
The Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir’s altitude was an inherent advantage that could be leveraged to establish high-quality training centres for athletes.
“We have to capitalise on this. We have to use this by establishing high-quality training centres. And we have to pay attention to different sports,” he said.
He also called for greater support for disciplines beyond cricket and welcomed growing corporate participation in sports, particularly in coaching and athlete development.
Linking sports with the wider effort to keep young people away from drugs, the Chief Minister said sustained investment in sports infrastructure and engagement with youth was essential to making the anti-drug campaign effective.
“Staying away from drugs is not just a slogan for one day a year. Twelve months of that year, seven days a week, and that will only happen when we can give infrastructure to sports and get the attention of the kids,” he said.
He also launched an anti-drugs and anti-doping campaign by handing over a campaign torch to a sports icon from Jammu and Kashmir. The torch will travel through different schools and areas of Srinagar as part of the awareness campaign.

(Straight Talk Communications)