Kashmir Footballer Beig Fardeen Recommended for State Award After National Selections | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Beig Fardeen Shamim, an under-15 footballer from Army Public School Srinagar, has been recommended for a State Award following a series of national-level selections and performances that have placed him among Jammu and Kashmir’s emerging football prospects.

Fresh trials for the Junior National Football Championship 2024–25, conducted under the aegis of the All India Football Federation by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council and the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association at Srinagar’s Polo Ground, saw participation from more than 2,000 players across the Union Territory. Fardeen was among those selected for the Jammu and Kashmir junior team after what officials described as a standout showing.

The selection adds to an already expanding competitive profile for the young footballer, who had earlier represented Jammu and Kashmir at the Sub-Junior National Football Championship 2023–24 and featured in the ongoing Junior National Football Championship 2024–25 season. He has also played in several national tournaments, including the Northern Command Championship, Reliance Foundation Championship and the Dr B C Roy Sub-Junior Championship in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, as well as the Dr B C Roy Football Championship in Assam.

Earlier this year, Fardeen captained his side to victory in the 7-A-Side Warriors Championship in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. He is currently training at the National Football Camp with support from the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, as preparations continue for upcoming national fixtures.

Officials associated with his training said Fardeen has received professional coaching from former international and national players, including Ishfaq Ahmed, Mehraj-ud-Din Wadoo, and Javid Ahmed Sofi, at the Sports Football Academy, in addition to regular guidance from coaches at APS Srinagar.

In addition to domestic competitions, Fardeen has also been shortlisted for international football trials in Austria and Germany. The selection was made from a pool of over 13,000 players and students across Jammu and Kashmir, placing him among a small group chosen for overseas assessment in the under-15 category.

Alongside his sporting commitments, Fardeen is a Junior NCC cadet and a student at APS Srinagar, where school authorities said his discipline and academic conduct have matched his sporting progress.

In view of his national selections and international exposure, the APS Srinagar management has forwarded his name for a State Award under the under-15 category. School principal Rajeev Choudhary said the recommendation reflected both individual achievement and the growing footprint of football in the Union Territory.

Officials said the final decision on the award will rest with the administration, but noted that recognition of young athletes performing at national platforms could serve as a wider encouragement for youth participation in organised sports across Jammu and Kashmir.