Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded eighteen-year-old Mohsin Ali, who recently clinched gold in the 1,000m kayaking event at the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) at Dal Lake, during the 125th edition of his monthly radio programme, ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
Organised from August 21-23, the KIWSF featured six disciplines – rowing, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, shikara race, and dragon boat race – with participants from 28 states and Union territories.
Ali now has his sights set on an Olympic gold. “I was thrilled to speak to the prime minister. His words will work as an encouragement not only for me but for the youth in general, who want to represent the country at the highest stage,” he told PTI.
In ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the prime minister highlighted Jammu and Kashmir for successfully hosting the festival and staging the inaugural day-night cricket match in Pulwama. He spoke with Ali and Odisha's canoeing champion Rashmita Sahu.
The festival, jointly organised by the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), drew over 800 participants, with female athletes nearly matching their male counterparts. While Madhya Pradesh topped the medal tally, Ali’s gold generated renewed interest in water sports in the Union territory.
{{/usCountry}}The festival, jointly organised by the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), drew over 800 participants, with female athletes nearly matching their male counterparts. While Madhya Pradesh topped the medal tally, Ali’s gold generated renewed interest in water sports in the Union territory.
{{/usCountry}}Ali, whose father works as a labourer to support their family of seven, said he was inspired to take up kayaking after watching shikaras glide on Dal Lake. He credited his coach, Bilquis Mir, a leading canoeist and kayaker from Srinagar, and the first Indian woman jury member at the 2024 Paris Olympics, for his success.
According to Mir, “Ali's triumph reflects the talent present in Jammu and Kashmir. His victory motivated new athletes, with 80 youths enrolling in the training programme at the end of the festival.”
Talking to Ali, the prime minister praised his family and coach Bilquis Mir for his success.
After Modi noted the potential of Jammu and Kashmir's youth, Ali said, “My dream is to win a medal in the Olympics.”
The prime minister responded, “Wow! Well done! Look, I got goosebumps just by hearing that from you. When the son of a labourer's family dreams so big, it means the country is going to progress a lot.”
Concluding the four-minute conversation, Modi added, “Really enjoyed talking to you. Please convey my special thanks to your father, because he made your life by working as a labourer. On your father's words, you worked hard for 10 years without taking any rest. I also congratulate your coach, who worked so hard to train you.”
With PTI inputs