Why Winning a Medal Is Easier Than Making a Meme in Kashmir
From the Turf with Mohsin Kamal
Kashmir is famous for many things. I won’t bore you by talking about our heart-warming landscapes or how well we treat our guests. You already know that, probably better than I do. So what is it that’s famous yet rarely spoken about?
It’s our uncanny ability to produce countless “national and international medalists” every year. With no infrastructure, no proper coaches, and barely a handful of decent stadiums in the Valley, how do our “athletes” keep winning gold, silver, bronze, and whatnot, again and again? Ever wondered?
Every now and then, you see Indian TV anchors shouting, “This is the real Kashmir. These medal-winning youngsters represent Kashmir, not the ones who throw stones.” Sounds familiar, right? But who are these youngsters? Do they really do things that deserve all that prime-time spotlight?
I won’t answer that for you. Just ask the anchors a few basic questions.
What game did they win the medal in?
Is it a recognized sport?
How is the game played?
Who were the opponents?
How many rounds did the athlete clear before representing the state or country?
How many states or countries participated?
Will they be able to answer? Not unless they spend half an hour on Google. And even then, the answers will be hard to digest.
This is what keeps happening. So-called athletes from Kashmir win medals in unrecognized sports, most of which are backed by “national” federations conveniently based right here in Kashmir.
What a joke. Even local journalists and radio jockeys, who wouldn’t know a penalty corner from a powerplay, fall for it. They run long features without asking a single question. But since it has the word “Kashmir” in it, they know it’ll sell. So they go ahead, probably thinking, “Who cares whether it makes sense or not, as long as it’s about Kashmir.”
Now, this isn’t to discredit the real athletes of Kashmir: the ones who grind all year long and, despite endless hurdles, win actual medals at national and international events in recognized sports. It’s we who need to start recognizing these genuine sportspersons and stop hyping up the Instagram athletes.
You might be wondering why I said making a meme is harder than winning a medal in Kashmir.
Let me explain. Making a meme takes research, wit, editing skills, and most importantly, internet access. And here, we all know the internet can vanish anytime without warning. On the other hand, winning a medal in an unrecognized sport usually takes just two things: knowing someone who runs one of these associations and being privileged enough to afford the participation and travel fees.
Mohsin Kamal is the internationally acclaimed sports journalist from Jammu & Kashmir accredited by both the ICC and BCCI. His work has featured across top platforms including the BBC, ESPN, Forbes and JioHotstar. He can be reached out at 64mohsinkamal@gmail.com
