Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, May 4: Secretary/Commissioner Youth Services and Sports, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary on Monday said that youth remain the “soul and central force” of Jammu & Kashmir’s development, asserting that sports is emerging as a powerful tool to counter the growing drug menace in the Union Territory.
Addressing a gathering at University of Kashmir, where over 190 students from different states participated in a Wushu event, Choudhary, said the past five to six years have seen a clear shift towards youth-centric policies, particularly in sports and entrepreneurship.
He said a “mission mode” campaign for a drug-free Jammu & Kashmir, launched on April 11, is being strengthened through sports initiatives. “Drug addiction traps individuals in chains and takes away their freedom. There can be no better alternative than sports to break this cycle,” he said.
Highlighting infrastructure growth, Choudhary said around 625 sports facilities have been developed across schools, colleges, villages and remote areas in the last four years. “Every playground we build stands against the drug ecosystem and every league we create channels youth energy in a positive direction,” he added.
Referring to Wushu, he said the sport represents balance, resilience and respect and noted its inclusion in the Youth Olympics, expressing hope for its future inclusion in the Olympic Games.
The Secretary further said that inputs from a recent ‘Chintan Shivir’ stressed the need to strengthen grassroots sports to improve India’s Olympic medal tally. “Around 50 per cent of sports still need wider participation, and talent identification must begin at the ground level,” he said.
Choudhary also highlighted the implementation of the Khelo Bharat policy (2025-26), stating that J&K has secured around 84 per cent alignment with Government of India benchmarks, placing it among the top-performing regions.
He added that sports are also being linked with economic development, including tourism and local products, citing Kashmir’s GI-tagged willow bat as a key example.
Earlier, the event was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, senior officials, and participants from across the country.
