Shawdesh Desk:

Overcoming poverty and setbacks, Adil Altaf of Jammu and Kashmir created a history of sorts when he bagged his state’s first gold medal in Cycling at the Khelo India Youth Games in Panchkula, Haryana, 15 days back. He blazed to glory in the boy’s 70km road race. He completed a 72-km run in one hour, 59 minute and 22 seconds.

Cycling is one of the costliest sports in India. And for Altaf, son of a tailor, the sport was a dream that seemed quite distant.

As a kid, Altaf used to cycle in the crowded by-lanes of Lal Bazar in Srinagar. Although he loved it, it was part of his daily chores, dropping or picking up stuff for his tailor father. Gradually, the love for cycling soon became his passion.

When he turned 15, Altaf competed for the first time in a cycling event organised at his school, Kashmir Harvard. He showed a lot of promise and he took up the sport seriously. Seeing his son’s passion for the sport, Altaf’s father worked doubly hard to buy him a cycle good enough for him to pursue his dream.

As Altaf began to win local events, the State Bank of India in Srinagar came to his aid, sponsoring his MTB bike, costing Rs 4.5 lakh. That turned out to be a boon in the youngster’s career.

Altaf’s first major triumph came in 2019 when he won his first bronze medal in a 10-km race at Jammu and Kashmir State Cycling Championship.

Altaf had been training at the NIS Patiala for about six months preparing for the Khelo India Games.

Altaf is a 12th standard commerce student at Kashmir Harvard. This gold in an All India event will be a huge source of motivation for him to go ahead chasing his dreams to bring laurels to his state and country.

Altaf has been highly elated and encouraged after his Haryana feat. He described his victory as a big moment and said that the gold medal-winning victory has boosted his confidence immensely. “Now, I dream of wearing an Indian jersey for Asian and Commonwealth Games and will try to win medals for my country,” he said in an interview with a media outlet.

Altaf is currently preparing under NIS coach Joginder Singh.

Singh believes that Altaf will achieve success beyond national events. He adds that under his supervision, Altaf cycles an average of 80-90 km per week and that he is focusing to help him increase his speed. “But, I am sure that he will qualify for the Asian and Commonwealth Games,” Singh told a newspaper.

Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha too congratulated Altaf on his extraordinary success and wished that his medal-winning performance will inspire youths in the valley to pursue sports as a career more vigorously.

Many commentators in local Kashmiri and national press also hope that youths like Altaf have the potential to change the aspirational outlook of the young people in the strife-torn state.