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Republic Day 2026: 20-year-old kayaker from Srinagar, excited to be part of parade at Kartavya Path in Delhi
Meet kayaker Mohsin Ali, who has won 17 national-level medals so far! Praised recently by PM Modi on Mann Ki Baat, he is looking forward to his Delhi trip.
From splashing the waters in Kashmir, while kayaking, to receiving accolades from Prime Minister Narendra Modi – on one of his episodes of Mann Ki Baat – life has seen a high tide for 20 years old Mohsin Ali! Hailing from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, the national-level kayaker is all set to march down the Kartavya Path in Delhi, during this year's Republic Day parade on January 26. “The call for invite came in November last year, but the feeling still hasn’t quite settled in,” he admits.
“Jab mujhe phone aaya tha main bahut shock ho gaya tha yeh sunke ki Republic Day pe mujhe bulaya jaa raha hai,” shares the young lad who has completed education till class XII. He adds, “I’ve visited Delhi before but have never witnessed the Republic Day parade. Jo parade pehle TV par dekhte thhay woh ab aankhon ke samne dekhunga aur us march ka hissa bhi banunga. It’s such a big honour for me.”
Growing up near the serene waters of the Dal Lake, this youngster found his calling in exploring its waters through this sport. “I was 10 or 11 when I first learnt kayaking. It started as a hobby, but then my family as well as I realised that I could do something big in it,” he opines, and veers the conversation back to his R-Day invite for the parade.
Recounting how his childhood hobby turned into a medal-winning journey, Mohsin states that so far he has clinched 17 national-level medals. This includes a gold at the National Games in Goa (2023) and another at the Khelo India Games in August in Srinagar (2025). “I’m the eldest child in my house. My father is a carpenter, and my mother is a homemaker. Unke liye apne ladke ko Republic Day ki march mein dekhna bahut proud feeling hai,” he shares with pride!
For the D-day, since the prep has to be exact, he is taking no chances. “I’m keeping it simple,” says Mohsin, adding, “I’ll arrive in Delhi on January 25, with my coach, guru Bilquis Mir... I’m a little nervous but have a lot of excitement as I don’t know what to expect. That moment when I will salute our President (Droupadi Murmu), will stay with me for the rest of my life because humare sport ko bahut log nahi jaante India mein… Par ab bahut log janenge. Every time I feel proud to represent this sport, but this time it’s different and more special.”
