VAJK felicitates J&K volleyball team for historic gold at KIYG

Jammu, Jun 29: In a landmark moment for sports in Jammu and Kashmir, the Volleyball Association of J&K (VAJK) on Sunday felicitated the J&K boys volleyball team for securing a historic gold medal at the 7th Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) held in Patna, Bihar.

As per a statement issued, this marks J&K’s first-ever gold medal in a team event at the national-level KIYG, a feat celebrated with pride and emotion at a special ceremony hosted at Lemon Tree Hotel, Jammu.

The felicitation ceremony was held in a grand yet emotionally charged environment, celebrating the dedication, discipline, and sheer willpower of the players who brought glory to the region.

The President of VAJK, Sidharth Daluja, led the function and honoured the players and officials with shawls and cash prizes amounting to Rs 72,000.

The J&K team’s journey in the KIYG tournament was filled with challenges and triumphs. After consecutive wins in the pool stage—first defeating Uttarakhand in a thrilling 3-2 match (18-25, 25-20, 16-25, 27-25, 15-09), followed by a smooth 3-0 win against Bihar (25-21, 25-19, 25-23)—the team lost to Uttar Pradesh 1-3 (25-14, 25-21, 18-25, 25-20) but maintained its momentum and reached the semi-finals for the first time, breaking all previous records.

In the semi-finals, the J&K team displayed flawless coordination and strategy, overpowering Manipur 3-0 (27-25, 25-21, 25-19), securing a historic berth in the finals. The grand finale saw a spirited rematch against Uttar Pradesh, and this time, the J&K boys turned the tables with a dominant 3-1 victory (35-33, 19-25, 25-17, 25-21), claiming the gold medal with resilience and excellence.

The winning squad included Sahib Kalear (Arnia), Akash Manhas (Pargwal), Ganik Sharma (Kathua), Sahil Shamim (Anantnag), Nasir Ajaz Sofi (Baramulla), Wani Mahir (Srinagar), Abid Gulzar (Ganderbal), Bilal Ahmed (Poonch), Karan Rajput (Reasi), Kunal Gorean (STC Jammu), Rehan Parvez (Poonch), Mohit (Samba), and Sandeep (Pallanwala). Subash Shastri served as the team manager, with Naresh Kumar as the head coach and Prateek Kumar and Shubham Sharma as assistant coaches.

Prior to the competition, the players underwent rigorous training and conditioning at MA Stadium, Jammu, under the expert guidance of the coaching panel of volleyball coaches Naresh Kumar, Prateek and Shubham Sharma.

The selection was carried out by a panel of experts nominated by the J&K Sports Council, and players drawn from different districts were groomed to enhance their skills, including advanced techniques, service, defence, and spikes.

Sidharth Daluja expressed heartfelt gratitude to Nuzhat Gul, Secretary of the J&K Sports Council, for her unwavering support and cooperation with the team for their excellent performance in the team-wise event in KIYG. Kuldip Magotra, CEO; H.S. Gill, Executive Vice President; Ramesh Sharma, Treasurer; and V.K. Magotra, General Secretary of the Volleyball Association of J&K, also lauded the team for its excellent performance and for bringing laurels to J&K UT and the Association, which was unprecedented in the history of J&K.

Sidharth Daluja honoured players & officials who added another star in the crown of J&K by breaking all previous records in the sports arena in the team-wise mega event Khelo India Youth Games held recently in Bihar.

During his address, Sidharth Daluja called upon the youth to utilise every opportunity to explore and sharpen their talents, both in sports and academics. He reiterated the association’s commitment to promote volleyball in every corner of Jammu and Kashmir and urged the younger generation to stay away from drugs and contribute to nation-building.

Raj Daluja, Patron-in-Chief of VAJK, graced the event as Chief Guest. He emphasised the transformative power of sports in shaping the future of the youth and encouraged all stakeholders to actively participate in team sports, especially volleyball, to strive for excellence at the national level.

He appreciated the joint efforts of the J&K Sports Council, Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS), and Sports Authority of India (SAI) in helping the team reach this milestone.

Among the dignitaries present were Manmeet Singh (Joint Secretary), Akbar Ali (Secretary, VAJK), Neelofar Habib (Secretary, Kulgam District Volleyball Association), and Veena Kumari (Executive Member, VAJK).

The event began with a two-minute silence in memory of Madan Lal Toofan, Vice President of VAJK, who passed away recently, paying homage to his contributions to the sport.

The function concluded with a call to continue the momentum and build upon this unprecedented success, aiming for even greater accomplishments in the future.