Srinagar: A girl from Srinagar has represented Jammu and Kashmir at the national level and has won five gold medals at the state level in karate and gymnastics.
Sobia Altaf, 19, a resident of the Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar who is a 12th standard student, wants to become the best karate player of J-K and train aspiring girls.
While talking to a local news agency, Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Altaf said that she has been very passionate about sports since childhood and started taking part in sports activities when she was just 10 years old.
“I have won a gold medal in 2015 and 2016 in Jammu in karate besides a bronze medal in gymnastics,” she said, adding that in 2017 she has played for the School Games Federation of India in Kargil trails where she won a gold medal and got selected for the national level in Indore.
“In 2018, I was selected at the national level in Delhi after winning a gold medal in Jammu,” she said. “I have won a bronze medal in gymnastics too.”
“Taking part in sports is a must for everyone especially girls to keep themselves fit and healthy,” she said, adding that the best thing sports teach us is discipline and keeps us away from drugs and other futile exercises.
She said that during the initial days the support of family was very little, however, after winning some gold medals they started supporting her fully.
Altaf, who aspires to be the best karate player of J-K said there is no infrastructure in J-K besides that support from the government is very minimal which forces hundreds of talented youth to change their mindset and choose a different profession.
She said that whatever field girls are choosing, they must dream big, work hard and never look back and one day they will get success. (KNO)
