Jyothi Yarraji and Mohammed Afsal won the women’s 100m hurdles and men’s 800m title respectively at B&S Kurpfalz Gala.
Jyothi Yarraji and Mohammed Afsal won the women’s 100m hurdles and men’s 800m title respectively at B&S Kurpfalz Gala.
Indian hurdler Jyothi Yarraji delivered another outstanding performance this year by securing the women’s 100m hurdles title at the B&S Kurpfalz Gala, while Mohammed Afsal claimed victory in the men’s 800m race with a season-best time in Weinheim, Germany on Saturday.
Yarraji began her campaign by winning the first heat of the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 13.36 seconds, earning her spot in the final. She then improved her time in the final to 13.06 seconds, clinching the title.
This marks her second title of the year in the women’s 100m hurdles, following her victory at the Harry Schulting Games earlier this month. Additionally, she competed in the women’s 200m time trial final at the event, finishing third with a time of 23.83 seconds, behind two Dutch players.
In the men’s 110m hurdles, Tejas Shirse secured the silver medal with an impressive time of 13.60 seconds, just 0.4 seconds shy of his personal best set earlier this month.
Mohammed Afsal triumphed in the middle distance event (800m), claiming the title with a season-best time of 1:47.05 in his first outdoor international event of the year. This time also propelled him to the second position in the list of Indian best timings of the year, behind Parvej Khan’s 1:46.12.
Amlan Borgohain kicked off his season with an impressive time of 10.66 seconds in the 100m sprint, securing a spot in the top five list of the fastest 100m sprinters in India this season.
Meanwhile, Animesh Kujur, who shone at the Federation Cup last week, maintained his excellent form by clocking a time of 20.96 seconds to claim second place in the men’s 200m at his inaugural international tournament.
Pavana Nagraj, the Asian U20 champion, participated in the women’s long jump event at the same competition, achieving a respectable leap of 6.15m in the final. While she achieved this mark on her first attempt, she couldn’t surpass it in subsequent jumps and finished in seventh place.
source: http://www.thebridge.in / The Bridge / Home> Athletics / by The Bridge Desk / May 18th, 2024
Besides Nikhat and Minakshi’s gold medals, Indian boxers won two silver and eight bronze medals to better their last edition’s record of five medals.
File image of Indian boxing star Nikhat Zareen. Image credit: BFI
Astana, Kazakhstan:
Reigning world champion Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi clinched gold medals as the Indian team concluded their Elorda Cup 2024 campaign with 12 medals in Astana, Kazakhstan on Saturday.
Besides Nikhat and Minakshi’s gold medals, Indian boxers won two silver and eight bronze medals to better their last edition’s record of five medals.
Nikhat (52kg) continued her dominance in the ongoing prestigious tournament as she outclassed Zhazira Urakbayeva of Kazakhstan with an unanimous 5-0 scoreline to add yet another gold medal to her coveted medal tally.
Minakshi started the day for India with a bang when she defeated Uzbekistan’s Rahmonova Saidahon 4-1 in the women’s 48kg final to give India its first gold medal of the competition.
Meanwhile, Anamika (50kg) and Manisha (60kg) suffered losses to end their campaigns with silver medals.
Anamika fought valiantly but conceded a 1-4 loss against reigning world and Asian champion China’s Wu Yu while Manisha faced a 0-5 defeat against Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Grafeeva.
Medallists:
Gold: Minakshi (48kg) and Nikhat Zareen (52kg)
Silver: Anamika (50kg) and Manisha (60kg)
Bronze: (men) Yaiphaba Singh Soibam (48kg), Abhishek Yadav (67kg), Vishal (86kg) and Gaurav Chauhan (92+kg); (women) Sonu (63kg), Manju Bamboriya (66kg), Shalakha Singh Sansanwal (70kg) and Monika (81+kg).
source: http://www.firstpost.com / First Post / Home> FP Sports / May 18th, 2024
Chahalka Village (Tanadu Kasba, Mewat District), HARYANA :
Parvez Khan on the track
Nuh, a Meo Muslim dominated district of Haryana burst in celebration as the son of the soil Parvez Khan won a major sports title in the USA on Saturday.
Parvez won the 1500m title at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championship 2024 of Collegiate Athletics held in Louisiana, USA.
Parvez, 19, hails from the Chahalka village of Tawadu Kasba, and is studying in the US on scholarship from the University of Florida. On Saturday, he clocked 3 minutes and 42.73 seconds to win the race at the LSU Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge. His personal best is 3:38.76, which he achieved in California last month.
Parvez said, “Yes, representing India in the Olympics is on my mind. But qualifying for Paris is difficult because I am far behind others. However, I will give my 100 percent to reach there.”
Nuzhat Gull, secrertary of J&K Sports Council posted this video of Parvez Khan’s race to victory on X:
“I do my workout every day. People believe in me, so I am doing well day by day to execute my plans well and hopefully, I will achieve the Olympic standard.”
Later, Parvez competed in the 800m race and finished third with a time of 1:46.80, just seven-tenths behind his personal best in Florida in March.
Parvez is the National Games 2022 champion in the 1500m during which he broke the 28-year-old record of sports.
The locals are ecstatic and proud of Parvez’s achievements and are pouring in at his home to congratulate his parents.
Parvez’s brother Khalid said that in the SEC Track and Field Outdoor Championship 2024 held in Florida, America, Parvez participated in the 1500 m and 800 m competition on behalf of the University of Florida, in which more than two dozen athletes from different zones of America participated.
As soon as he got success in the 1500 meter heat event on Saturday, the people of the area expressed happiness and congratulated his family members on becoming the champion.
Growing up in Chahalka, a village in Haryana’s Mewat district, about 50 kilometers south of New Delhi, Khan was raised with limited financial resources.
His father, Nafees Ali, supports the family by cultivating wheat and fodder on the five acres of land he shares with his brothers.
Despite adverse financial conditions, Khan had aspirations beyond the limits of his village. His parents didn’t attend school.
His parents initially dissuaded him from sports and they thought there was no future for him there. “There are no players in my village, but I have always been someone who wants to do things differently.
Khan was inspired to run during physical preparation for army recruitment. He didn’t have a coach. Often even in adolescence, he used to outshine his older competitors.
Realizing the need for better training opportunities, Khan moved to New Delhi at the age of 13. He joined the coaching at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and thus started his athletic journey.
Despite doubts about meeting academic standards, Khan’s talent as a sprinter continued to blossom. His notable achievements include winning gold in 800 meters at the Under-16 Nationals and a bronze medal at the Under-18 Khelo India Games.
However, it was Khan’s victory in the 1500m at the Open National Championships in Warangal in 2021 that brought him into the spotlight. He got selected for the Indian Navy.
In 2022, Khan won the gold medal in 1500m at the National Games where he clocked his personal best of 3:40:89. This win paved the way for him to join the Indian national camp and subsequently train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado, USA.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Yunus Alvi, Nuh / May 13th, 2024
Ayesha Aynain, a student of SDM College in Mysuru, secured a silver medal in Khelo India National Wushu Championship held at Jammu & Kashmir in March. She is trained under coach M.K. Asif.
Ayesha Aynain is the daughter of Ejaz Pasha and Hajira, residents of Agrahara in city.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home>News> Sports / by Star of Mysore, headline edited / April 21st, 2024
The December weather in Northern Kerala is humid and soakingly sizzling. Askar Vandithodi, a 33-year-old IT official by profession and loyal fan of football attends a peculiar Kerala version of football.
All passages to the make-shift stadium in Malappuram district are decorated with life-size posters of rival teams and players. The gallery is filled to the brim and spectators are hooting and cheering incessantly. The mud football ground in the middle is recently manicured and marked with fresh chalk powder. Here, two teams with seven players on each side are sweating out to ram through defenses and score goals.
After three years of Covid-induced shutdown, Sevens Football is back to ubiquitous vigour in Kerala from 2023.
Colonial genesis of Football rage
Northern parts of Kerala, known as the Malabar region, are well known for their football mania where football kicked off a psychological resistance against colonialism. Football was introduced by the British in Malabar when an armed battalion of Malabar Special Police was raised in the 19th century to deal with rebellious native Mappilas. Mappilas were an agrarian community predominantly living in North Kerala, part of the erstwhile Madras Presidency.
Watching the British play the game, some were inducted into the team as substitutes and rookies to balance the numbers of the teams. Awed by the intensity of the game and the cheap availability of sports gear, compared to polo and cricket, made football more popular.
After the devastating 1921 Mappila Rebellion, British employed the football to reach out to the aggrieved Mappila community, hostile towards the government for its violent reprisal of rebellion. According to eminent journalist and author V. Musaffar Ahmad, the British successfully made inroads into the wounded minds through football diplomacy. And thus the steady growth of football.
From ballboys to formidable rivals, soon Malabar football advanced. Oldtimers still revel in the memories of homegrown barefoot team thrashing the British in the 1940s.
Innovative, indigenous sports format
This football format is an ingenious innovation to suit the geographical and sports needs of the people. This style of football is conveniently modified according to local needs.
Seven-people strong rivals compete with each other, to reach the knock-out stage and to semi-final and final.
Around 50-60 Sevens Football tournaments are held every year in Kerala between November and April. Out of these, 15 to 20 tournaments are held under the banner of the Sevens Football Association.
Number of trophies won by clubs ( photo: Grace Mubashir)
The tournament period starts by the end of the paddy harvest and stretches into the onset of monsoon by June. Even though agriculture has lost its patrons in the region and only small tracts are cultivated, the timing of the tournaments is a nostalgic throwback to the agrarian connection the Sevens has in Kerala.
Typical mud ground is 35-40 meters in width and 55-60 meters in length. Unlike professional football, the offside trap rule is more lenient to give the match an attacking charm.
Along with legendary clubs, every year new clubs join the fray. Some clubs like Super Studio Malappuram, AL Madeena Cherppulessery, and FIFA Manjeri, have more than three decades of annual presence, courting them die-hard fan base.
“Footfalls will be huge when teams like Real FC Thennala and Al Madeena Cherppulasseri play. These teams have traditional fanbase due to successive impressive runs in recent years”, said Vandithodi.
‘Football is a religion’
The entire football festival is locally managed without any government support. Tournament committees are formed after deliberation and the local people wholeheartedly back the event from beginning to end.
The matches are not profit-oriented. Many tournaments are conducted to support the palliative and charity efforts of the locality.
Tournaments are local festivals of harmony and recreation. Here, football seeped into the inner fabric of people and is a hereditary trait coursing through the arteries of society and culture.
Religion and politics blur in the Sevens hysteria. “For the people of Kerala, especially in Malabar, football is a religion; a phalanx of icons from Maradona and Pele to Neymar and Messi are the gods”, noted sports journalist Jaffer Khan in his book documenting football history in Malabar.
Women greeting players at Koyappa tournament ( photo: Grace Mubashir)
Football culture is intrinsically imbued within the everyday lives of North Kerala people. From sandy beaches and laterite quarries to splashy water bodies to verdant fields football is a conspicuous sight. In summer, football is played on rough terrains whereas monsoon ushers drenching mud football.
The sheer excitement of chasing football cheering on the players or dishing out money for sports never wavers.
For buffs like Bava Ashraf, popularly known as Super Bava after the football club he founded in Malappuram, football engulfs the whole life. Started as a ferocious central back in the 1980s, Bava now runs Super Studio Malappuram Club, one of the most successful Sevens clubs in Kerala.
Football providing employment to locals
Seven Tournaments are local festivals with parallel economy. “Tournaments directly and indirectly employ a lot of people. Players, referees, gallery builders to live streamers to hawkers are part of this football grid. A fisherman or autorickshaw driver in the day, fastening laces in the night is a common sight here”, said Asker.
Furthermore, Sevens at night is relaxation. People after the hard toil of the day, rush to the grounds to get carried away in the wizardry of football.
Players before the start of the match ( photo: Grace Mubashir)
According to P.P Jihad, who manages a football team in Delhi named ‘Malabar Makhani’, the sheer physical intensity and swiftness of the Sevens format captivate the people. He equated Elevens to test matches, Nines to ODI, and Sevens to Twenty20.
A fan of the sport told Two Circles that their lives revolve around football. “From childhood, our life is woven around football. We run from the crack of dawn to the ground and spend there until darkness shrouds us. Then we chat and squabble about football. People from all generations mingle easily in the magic of football here” boasted Nifad, a Gen Z from Therattammal village.
Springboard for professional football career
Sevens Football is a prelude to a professional football career. Many past and present players of professional football were part of this local football festival. I.M Vijayan, star of Indian football chiseled his skills as a Sevens player for various teams, before making a foray into the national team. Former Indian players like U. Sharafali, Asif Saheer, and Noushad started their careers in the rough terrains of Sevens Football.
Players from abroad compete
Another major attraction of the game that draws many eyes and mints money at ticket counters is the glossy presence of foreign players, mainly from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Senegal.
Players are scouted through agents and brought into Kerala on contracts. Some players are successful enough to carve out an everlasting niche in the lingering public football memory. Suhaib Hamza from Mannarkkad fondly remembered his childhood heroes Francis and Junior Francis who had a dreamy run between 2012 and 2018, playing for FIFA Manjeri.
According to Sevens Football Association rules only three foreign players can play in a match. “The playing prowess of foreign players adds romance to the events. Plus, it also improves the overall quality of the game” opined Asker.
In dire need of overhaul
Without government support and recognition by football associations, Sevens is in dire need of critical interventions.
“Football grows not seasonally. To have a vibrant football culture permanent stadiums are necessary. Around such stadiums, coaching academies could be opened to professionally train coming generations,” said Jihad.
Still, Sevens is the exclusive space of males, frowning the presence of women in galleries. Although some changes are visible through an increasing number of women spectators, this sport is still patriarchal entertainment as games are muscular.
Grace Mubashir is a freelance journalist based in Delhi, India.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Arts & Culture / by Grace Mubashir, twocircles.net / March 24th, 2024
Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh won 6 gold medals at the Reykjavik International Games held at Laugardalslaug Iceland from 26-28 January 2024, whilst representing India.
Aalam has ranked no. 1 in men’s 100m butterfly stroke and men’s 50m breaststroke, according to World Para Swimming’s official world rankings for 2024.
In Iceland last month, Shams Alam won 6 medals, including one gold in 200m individual medley, one silver medal in 50m and 100m breaststroke and butterfly stroke, and three bronze medals in 50m and 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly stroke.
Aalam also broke Herojit Singh and Shreekant Desai’s time records in 100m butterfly and 100m backstroke, respectively.
In his interview with TOI, Alam seemed confident that he’d qualify for the Paris Paralympic Games 2024 by meeting the Paralympic time requirements soon enough. He will also be participating in the National Paralympic Games scheduled in March this year, in Gwalior.
“I am yet to reach the Paralympic qualification mark with my timings at Reykjavik but I am confident that I will get enough opportunities to secure a berth at the Paris Games. The National Games will be my next shot at the Paris quota,” Aalam said in his interview with the Times of India.
Mohammad Shams Aalam is a 37-year-old, paraplegic swimmer, who holds the world record in the longest open sea swimming by a paraplegic individual.
Born in Bihar, Alam was interested in sports as a child, particularly karate and swimming. However, after a spinal cord injury in 2010, Alam took up professional swimming and even went on to represent India at the Asia Para Games in 2018.
source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob Media / Home> East India / by Maktoob Staff / February 27th, 2024
Rahil Habibulla-led team trounce Hong Kong, China by 100 runs in the final of ICC Men’s U19 CWC Asia Division 2 Qualifier in Bangkok.
Muscat :
A dominating performance by Oman boys was capped with a spectacular victory in the final of the ICC Men’s U19 Asia Division 2 Qualifier as they routed Hong Kong, China by 100 runs at the TERD Thai Cricket ground in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday.
Both Oman and Hong Kong, China, had already qualified for the ICC Men’s U19 Asia Division 1 ahead of the final. Tuesday’s victory for Rahil Habibulla-led Oman meant that the boys kept a clean slate in the tournament, winning a total of five games on the trot.
Rahil Daniyal Habibulla Of Oman receives the winning trophy during the Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier match between Hong Kong China and Oman held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, Thailand on March 5, 2024. Photo by: Deepak Malik / Creimas RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USENitish Nadendla Of Oman receives Player of the Tournament award during the presentation of the Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier match between Hong Kong China and Oman held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, Thailand on March 5, 2024. Photo by: Deepak Malik / Creimas RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USESaumya Bhavin Sampat Of Oman receives Player of the Match award during the presentation of the Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier match between Hong Kong China and Oman held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, Thailand on March 5, 2024. Photo by: Deepak Malik / Creimas RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
In the final, Oman’s Saumya Sampat stood out with his all-round performance as he missed a half-century (48 off 80 balls) in the team’s total of 249/5 in the allotted 50 overs.
Saumya then excelled with the ball as he picked up three wickets for 25 to be deservingly named the player of the final as Hong Kong, China, were restricted to 149/9.
Opting to bat first, Oman, coached by Syed Aamir Kaleem, rode on two century partnerships to set up a total to defend.
Oman players celebrate after winning the Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier match between Hong Kong China and Oman held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, Thailand on March 5, 2024. Photo by: Vipin Pawar / Creimas RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
First, it was a 108-run second-wicket stand between Jeet Shah (50, 99 balls) and Saumya and then it was the unbroken 104-run sixth-wicket partnership between Nitish Nadendla (51 n.o., 35 balls) and Rohan Ramachandran (49 n.o., 53 balls) that saw Oman post a total of 249/5.
Both Rohan and Nitish took over the run-charge after the fall of Rahil in the 37th over and slammed more than 100 runs in the next 13 overs with ten boundaries and a six.
Harry Hodgson and Arya Panjwani claimed two wickets each for Hong Kong.
Chasing a tough target, Hong Kong stumbled early on as they were down to 17/2 in the fourth over. Two quick wickets by the tenth over had Hong Kong reeling at 45/4 with Saumya, Varshieth Dinesh, Puladith Ralalage and Prathiesh Ramesh among wickets.
Mathew Clayton fought a lone battle with a half-century (50) as Oman bowlers picked wickets at regular intervals to restrict their rivals to 149/9 in 50 overs.
Aarez Dar (28), Arya Panjwani (15), and Rishan Shah (18) were the only other batters to get to double digits.
Oman tried out as many as eight bowlers and seven of them were successful with Saumya taking three. Varshieth, Puladith, Arya Sampat, Prathiesh, Gaurav Dinesh and Rohan Ramachandran claimed a wicket apiece.
Earlier, Oman had topped Group B with three straight wins as they beat Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, China and Bhutan to make it to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, Oman got the better of Malaysia before coming up with yet another stellar display to keep their winning streak.
Oman’s Nitish Nadendla was adjudged Player of the Tournament for scoring 164 runs in 5 innings.
Brief scores: Oman 249/5 in 50 overs (Jeet Shah 50, Saumya Sampat 48, Rohan Ramachandran 49 n.o., Nitish Nadendla 51 n.o.; Harry Hodgson 2/45, Arya Panjwani 2/51) beat Hong Kong, China 149/9 in 50 overs (Aarez Dar 28, Mathew Clayton 50; Saumya Sampat 3/25).
source: http://www.thearabianstories.com / The Arabian Stories / Home> Sports News / by TAS News Service / March 05th, 2024
Oman’s cricket team, led by Rahil Habibulla and coached by Aamir Kaleem, clinches a significant win, eyeing greater successes in Division 1 competitions.
Oman Triumphs in Cricket: Rahil Habibulla’s Leadership and Aamir Kaleem’s Coaching Celebrated
Oman’s cricket team, under the stellar leadership of captain Rahil Habibulla and the strategic coaching of Aamir Kaleem, recently clinched a significant victory, marking a triumphant moment in their cricketing journey. This win not only celebrates the team’s collective effort but also highlights individual accolades such as Malaysia’s Mohammad Akram being named Batter of the Tournament and Kuwait’s Janath Herathliyanage winning Bowler of the Tournament.
Strategic Leadership and Team Dynamics
The victory was a result of meticulous planning, unwavering dedication, and the seamless execution of strategies developed over months of hard work. Rahil Habibulla, reflecting on the journey, emphasized the blend of youth and experience within the team. Leading a team with a majority of players facing their first international tournament, Habibulla’s leadership was pivotal in navigating through the challenges and steering the team towards victory. The support from the Oman Cricket Board was instrumental, providing the necessary resources and belief in the team’s potential.
Coaching Excellence and Team Performance
Aamir Kaleem, expressing pride in the team’s achievement, highlighted the adverse conditions under which the tournament was played. The hot and humid conditions posed a significant challenge, yet the team’s character and resilience shone through. Kaleem’s commendation of the team’s unbeaten streak underscores the comprehensive preparation and the adaptability of the players across all departments. The acknowledgment of Rahil Habibulla’s decisive leadership on the field further illustrates the symbiotic relationship between the captain and the coach, enhancing the team’s performance.
Looking Ahead: Ambitions and Gratitude
With this victory, Oman sets its sights on future glories, aiming to replicate and surpass their current achievements in Division 1 competitions. The team’s ambition is fueled by the support from the Oman Cricket Board and the guidance of Head Coach Duleep Mendis. The gratitude expressed by both Rahil Habibulla and Aamir Kaleem towards the board, the coaching staff, and the management underscores the collective effort and the supportive ecosystem that has been pivotal in reaching this milestone.
As Oman cricket celebrates this remarkable achievement, the journey ahead promises even greater challenges and opportunities. The dedication, talent, and spirit displayed by the team signify their readiness to face future competitions with the same zeal and determination. This victory not only marks a significant milestone in Oman cricket’s history but also lays the foundation for aspiring to greater heights in the international cricket arena.
source: http://www.bnnbreaking.com / BNN / Home / by BNN Newsroom / by Salman Akhtar / March 05th, 2024
Kashmir’s Wushu Sisters, Ansa Chishti and Ayeera Chishti brought laurels to India by clinching Gold medals in the Russian Moscow Stars Wushu International Championship.
The ongoing championship started in Moscow on 28 February and will conclude on March 5, 2024.
Both players performed exceptionally in their respective weight categories of 52 and 56. They beat their Russian opponents in the finals and made their fans proud as well as the entire sports fraternity of J&K.
J&K Sports Council Chief Nuzhat Gull asked people to cheer the two bright women sportspersons fromthe Valley on X:
Both players performed exceptionally in their respective weight categories of 52 and 56. They beat their Russian opponents in the finals and made their fans proud as well as the entire sports fraternity of J&K.
This is the 3rd International medal for Ayeera as she won Gold in Georgia and Bronze in the World championship in Indonesia earlier. Now it’s 3rd consecutive medal in the international Wushu Championship and last year she was also shortlisted for the State Award.
Ayeera is the 1st Wushu Female Athlete who was shortlisted for this prestigious award. Similarly, Ansa, who won the 2nd Medal in the international Wushu Championship, had won Silver in the Georgia International Wushu Championship.
With today’s medal, she has won her 1st Gold medal in an international championship. Notably, both players are National Champions in their weight category as they won many medals in National championships.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by ATV / March 04th, 2024
Shabnam Shabbir Shaikh of Aambijalgaon, Maharashtra, trashes stereotypes of Indian women. Having picked wrestling as her field, this 28-year-old woman has broken all the shackles that a girl child faces while growing up in a small village.
Hailing from the village Aambijalgaon, Karjat, of the district Ahmednagar Shabnam was born in Jammu where her father Shabbir Sarabhai Shaikh was posted in the Indian Army. She is the third child of her parents and she grew up seeing her mother Rizwana Begum looking after the house and the family. However, Shabnam’s father always wanted his daughter to be brave, self-reliant, and break social stereotypes.
A great votary of women’s education Shabbir Shaikh encouraged his wife Rizwana Begum to complete her MSc degree after their marriage.Due to her father’s frequent postings across the country, Shabnam did her schooling mostly at the Army schools in Ambala, Udhampur, Srinagar, and Ahmedabad. After her father’s retirement, the family settled in their native village and Shabnam joined the local school.
She joined the 11th class in the Dada Patil College, Karjat, in the science stream. despite an irregular and sluggish bus service to Karjat, she somehow managed to study and also attend coaching for wrestling.
Coach Shabnam with her team
Shabnam completed her Bachelor of Physical Education (BPE) from Aurangabad (Sambhajinagar). She also got a diploma certificate in Coaching from the National Institute of Patiala, Punjab, and later did her Master’s from Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and then registered for her PhD studies.
Shabnam’s wrestling career began at the age of seven with her father as her coach. Shabnam says, “’My father is my first guru.”
Shabnam came from a family of wrestlers: her grandfather Sadarbhai Shaikh and great-grandfather were well-known wrestlers in the area. Their ancestral house has a wrestling arena where she watched male members of her family and neighbours practice wrestling.
Shabnam had to face the scorn and disapproval of her extended family and relatives when she started practicing wrestling. People even asked her family why she was allowed to wear shorts.
Shabnam at the convocation of the University
Shabnam started with Kabaddi, a game that requires a lot of alacrity and stamina.
Initially, she did not get to enter the arena where her brothers wrestled, so she took to Kabbadi. “I used to think that if I wrestle and win that will be my victory. Even if I lose, it will also be my failure. Will happen… I expressed my desire to wrestle to my father. He responded positively.”
Shabnam’s father had a precondition for training her. He wanted her to concentrate on training and practice for the first two years. She started receiving training from her father and two elder brothers.
Every morning at 4 o’clock she was sent to pick lemons from their farm located about 10 km away. She learned the nuances of wrestling and participated in her first competition in Ludhiana (Punjab). She bagged a silver medal and there started her winning streak.
Shabnam says, “Once in my village, my father came to know about a competition in Delhi. I was just 10 years old at that time. He gave me a paper with the address written on it and a train ticket and wished me good luck for the journey.”
At that time she wondered why she was going alone, ‘Why don’t my parents come with me? But my father always used to tell me that some battles in life have to be fought alone,” she says going down memory lane.
Shabnam Shaikh with her trophy
Shabnam won the title of ‘Women Maharashtra Kesari’ in 2010. She has won the gold medal in ‘Shirdi Kesari’ for three consecutive years since 2009, the gold medal in ‘Latur’ in 2011, gold medal in the ‘Maharashtra State Kustigir Parishad’ competition for six consecutive years.
She has also participated in four inter-university competitions, 10 national competitions, and more than 15 state-level competitions. In the national level ‘Great Bharatkumari Wrestling Competition’, Shabnam is the first winner not only from the Muslim community but also from Maharashtra.
Shabnam says her father taught her that one doesn’t need an outer veil. “Always keep the veil that differentiates between good and bad people in front of your eyes!” he told her.
Shabnam says, “People used to question my parents’ ways. A girl should not play sports like wrestling. Teach her to fast (during Ramazan) and pray. Don’t you want only boys to play wrestling? Hundreds of questions were asked but my parents did not let the pressure of society affect me.
“My father never changed his opinion under the pressure of society. He never let these things affect my game. I always got the support of my parents and my elder brothers.”
Shabnam’s mother Rizwana Begum says, “I have not two, but three ‘sons’! My brothers did not give me a share of our parents’ property. But, I will not let this injustice happen to my daughter. I will give her everything she deserves. Shabnam has brought glory to us. As a mother, I will always be proud of her.”
Shabnam’s thesis for her Ph.D. degree is ‘Comparative study of emotional maturity of rural and urban women wrestlers in Maharashtra’. She toured the entire state for research.
Shabnam is the first woman in India to do a doctorate in sports studies. While doing her Ph.D. in Wrestling, there were often deliberate attempts to embarrass and thwart her effort to earn a doctorate.
In the year 2017, Shabnam was selected as the junior coach of the Wrestling Women’s Association of India; she imparted wrestling training to Anushka Sharma and Salman Khan for the film ‘Sultan‘. Shabnam has represented India in Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
She currently works as a ‘Senior Trainer’ in the ‘Wrestling Women’s Association’ of India. India has never had success in the ‘World Women’s Wrestling Championship’ till now. However, in the ‘Under-20 World Championship’ of 2023 India won seven medals in ‘Women’s Wrestling’. Out of these, three are gold medals.
Shabnam Shaikh after her victory in a foreign location
Dr. Shabnam Shaikh is today known as the ‘International Wrestling Coach.
Shabnam says, “I was selected as the coach of ‘Maharashtra Team’ for the national tournament held in Gujarat last year. Twenty-four hours ago, my name was canceled! I was not given any idea about this.”
“Many times, despite having the right credentials and qualifications, I am not given a chance. Probably, because I live with self-respect! I always think that when someone asks me, “How did you get all this?’ I should proudly tell him, ‘I have earned it through my hard work.’
Shabnam says, “Wrestling gave me identity. Sometimes I wonder, ‘Is wrestling a curse or a blessing for me?’ Initially, relatives and other people of the society hated seeing me wrestle.
“Later, when I started winning competitions, people would post the news of my success on their ‘status’ on various social media platforms and write the caption, ‘Congratulations and best wishes to our sister or relative.’
After reading the news of my winning, I became everyone’s relative at that time! But, they speak against me on behind my back! However, now they hesitate to speak against me openly!”
Shabnam says, “Most of the time I am rejected for marriage. I play wrestling. The suitors who come to see as a potential candidate for marriage, see my trophies and see ‘Doctor’ written next to my name. When they go home their answer is, ‘We don’t want such an educated girl.'”
Shabnam continues to work hard to ensure that other girls do not face what she has.
Her advice to the youth: “No matter what happens, do not get tired. Do not give up the fight.” Her dream is to build a wrestling center for girls.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Chaya Kaveri / February 29th, 2024
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