Khelo India Youth Games 2022: Jammu and Kashmir's coach Mohammed Iqbal came to rescue of Thang Ta in the state

The Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), organized to promote sports and produce incredible athletes at the grassroots level in the country, is currently underway in Panchkula, Haryana.

Jammu and Kashmir's Mohammed Iqbal came forward with the same motive, aiming to grab the local youngsters' attention and introduce them to Thang-Ta. Iqbal is the coach for Jammu and Kashmir's Thang Ta team in the ongoing 2022 KIGY.

Speaking about the journey, Mohammed Iqbal told the media:

“Twenty years ago, I was a private trainer and was offering free classes to boys and girls. The locals objected to girls joining my classes. Many of them responded very aggressively and kept disrupting our sessions. The maulvi and several school principals vouched for my character and assured the agitators that I would take good care of the children, and here I am."

Iqbal, with a sense of pride, then said:

"Now that girls want to learn martial arts for self-defence, many join our classes."

Currently, over 20 Thang Ta clubs are based in downtown Srinagar, where several of Iqbal's former disciples are training youngsters there. Ayjaz Ahmad Bhat, the general secretary of the J&K Thang Ta association, while speaking about the same, said:

“It has become something of a sports tradition now and families are happy to send their children to us for training."

Jammu and Kashmir at 2022 Khelo India Youth Games

Jammu and Kashmir are currently in the 19th position, with six medals including one gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the 2022 KIYG.

They have created a stir by winning their first gold in the Thang Ta on Monday (June 7). Sumit Bhagat cliched gold in the U-18 boys 60 kg category for the state.

Meanwhile, Sairah Zahoor bagged a silver medal in the girls Thang Ta 52 kg event. Ikmeet Singh bagged a bronze in the men's event in Gatka.