The remarkable story of Jammu and Kashmir footballer Afshan Ashiq
The 21-year-old Afshan Ashiq has been named captain of the Jammu and Kashmir football team
Once seen pelting stones on the security forces during protests in Jammu and Kashmir, the 21-year-old Afshan Ashiq has turned a corner to become an inspiration for those of her age. Afshan has now taken up the leadership role in the football team of Jammu and Kashmir - a development that has reportedly made a famous Bollywood filmmaker contemplate a movie on her.
According to the Indian Express, Afshan accompanied her team to meet the union home minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday.
“My life has changed forever. I want to be an achiever and do something to make the state and the nation proud,” said Afshan, who is currently studying BA in Srinagar.
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Afshan is the goalkeeper in the 22-member Jammu and Kashmir football team, and she led the group to meet the senior politician with whom they discussed the lack of sports infrastructure in the state in a meeting that lasted for about half an hour.
Afshan said, “When we told the home minister that Jammu and Kashmir lacks sports infrastructure, he immediately called up the Chief Minister (Mehbooba Mufti) and requested her to do the needful to help us.”
The 21-year-old player revealed that the Indian home minister has informed them about an amount of Rs. 100 crore already being sanctioned for the state.
Rajnath was particularly impressed with the young team, as he went on to write on Twitter, “Met the young and energetic girls of JK’s first ever Women Football Team. They are highly motivated and driven when it comes to football.”
