Abid gulzar

Khelo India Youth Games: At a time when the Kashmir valley is facing air strikes and drone attacks following the heartbreaking Pahalgam terror attacks, four young boys from the region have offered a different storyline, with an amalgam of courage, resilience, focus and gold.

At the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir boys’ volleyball team opened the State’s account in the medal tally with a gold by defeating Uttar Pradesh 3-1 in a hard-fought final. The score line reading 35-33, 19-25, 25-17, 25-21 tells its own story of a gripping contest, but the real story lies in the hearts of the players who made it happen.

Wani Mahir (Srinagar), Sahil Shamim (Anantnag), Abid Gulzar (Ganderbal), and Nasir Ajaz (Baramulla), as well as their teammates, carried more than just the hopes of their team; they carried the weight of a land scarred by conflict.