Shikarawala Mohsin Ali wins first Gold for Jammu and Kashmir in ongoing Khelo India Water Sports festival

Srinagar: A shikarawala from Srinagar, Mohsin Ali, has become the first Kashmiri to win a gold medal during the Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025. From rowing a shikara at Dal Lake to paddling his way to national glory, Mohsin Ali Kand has come a long way. Seventeen-year-old Mohsin won gold in the 1000-meter men’s Kayaking event by clocking 4:12:717. It was a career highlight for the youngster. The Khelo India Water Sports Festival is going on at the iconic Dal Lake in summer capital Srinagar.

It was an overwhelming moment for Mohsin, a 12th standard student at SP Higher Secondary School, who rows a Shikara on the Dal Lake after attending his school to earn money for his diet as he aims to fulfil his dream of representing India at the international events.

After clinching the gold, Mohsin, the son of a lower middle-class carpenter Fida Hussain Kand, said he had worked very hard for it and credited his success to his father.

“I am very happy that I have won a gold medal in the 1000 metre Kayak Race at the Khelo India Water Sports festival. 26 states were participating and there were players who even played internationally among my competitors, and I am extremely happy that I won. Now my dream is to represent India at the international event. I want to go to the Olympics and win a medal for India,” said Mohsin Ali, gold medalist, rowing.

Mohsin’s achievement is noteworthy considering that while he has not participated in many national events, he was able to emerge triumphant among athletes who have more experience and even international exposure.

Mohsin has been trained by former international player and Olympic judge, Bilquis Mir. She has been training youngsters in the Kashmir Valley for a decade now. Bilquis Mir, known as the aqua woman of Kashmir Valley, is a water sports champion of Kayaking & Canoeing from the Kashmir Valley was the first woman from India to be a jury member at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Bilquis Mir is a former water sports champion and trainer from Srinagar who has represented the country at dozens of National and International water-sports championships. Bilquis started her journey on the world-famous Srinagar’s Dal Lake at the age of six. She has now dedicated herself to train youngsters in the Valley to compete at National and International level.

“This journey started in 2010; we have around 110 medals for water sports in Jammu and Kashmir. Mohsin has proved that Kashmiri boys can lead in water sports. Mohsin’s gold medal proves that we have the talent. This will inspire all the athletes. Mohsin had come to me when he was seven years old. I have groomed him since then, and today he has won the gold and proved to be among the best in the country. Other states have coaches from abroad. They have technical staff, but Mohsin has proved where there is a will, there is a way,” said Bilquis Mir, Olympic Jury and Water-sports Coach.

The Khelo India Water Sports Festival is an addition to the Khelo India calendar. Being organized between August 21-23 at the iconic Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, the festival is featuring six sports like rowing, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, shikara race and dragon boat race.

Thirty-six states and Union Territories will take part in the first-ever Games which is an Open age category meet. Khelo India is a mission to promote sports culture at the grassroots level and also aimed at organised talent identification, structured sporting competitions and infrastructure development.