JK’s only qualified cycling coach is jobless

Abid Khan

Srinagar, Feb 18: Cycling coach Ghulam Rasool Kawa has been making regular rounds of the J&K State Sports Council for a coaching assignment but to no avail. Kawa, a 2007- diploma holder form the prestigious National Institute of Sports, Patiala, has the distinction of being the only qualified coach in the state. The eligibility for the course which is considered toughest in the country is a Bachelors’ degree with a sound sports background. Fortunately, Kawa had both on joining the NIS. He had proven his mettle by performing brilliantly in five national championships. Kawa said the non-availability of a cycling coach in the state prompted him to go for the course. “After completing my graduation, I though I would go for postgraduation,” he said. “However, my coach advised me to go for the NIS course in cycling because JK had none.” The course involving both theory and practical is considered to be a tough one among various sports disciplines and is handled by some of the highly trained coaches of the country. “I passed the course with ‘A’ grade,” he said. Back home, Kawa immediately engaged himself in training cyclists from all over the valley. “I have trained almost 200 cyclists including Anzil Mukhtar,” he said. “My students have performed very well in many national championships.” Kawa participated in one of the toughest cycling events, the International Mountain Bike (MTB) held in 2007 at Chennai and bagged 10th position, 3rd in the Indian category. He got seventh position in the National Road Cycling Championship in the same year. In another MTB event in Chennai in 2008, he secured ninth place. Kawa was hailed for his skilful coaching many times at the national level. “During a national event at Chandigarh, one of the riders fractured his elbow. Coincidentally I was near by. I gave him treatment and he continued the race. The organizers felicitated me with shawl and cash prize,” Kawa narrated his experience. He said that apart from spending money on his training, he had put his soul into it. “I deserve a proper placement to sustain my own life,” he said. “Financial independence is the key to impart training without any hangovers.” He said he refused a job offer by a foreign company, Fire Fox, only to serve his community. Urging the Sports Council to utilise his services, the joint secretary of the J&K Cycling Association, Riyaz Ahmad, said it was a moral obligation on the part of the Council to provide him a job. “The Council had suggested us to send somebody for the training while giving job a job assurance,” he said. “We encouraged this gentleman to go for the course. He has spent a lot of money on this course.” He said that despite being jobless, Kawa has been imparting coaching to cyclists without fail. “Of late, our riders have been performing brilliantly in various national championships,” he said. “It is only because of his coaching. It is the time, we return his services.

Published in Greater Kashmir on Feb 20: link : http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=20_2_2009&ItemID=13&cat=4