SRINAGAR: Call it a golden era of sports, Jammu and Kashmir athletes won 94 gold, 96 silver, and 134 bronze medals at the national and international level this year.
Of them, 85 gold, 86 silver, and 126 bronze medals were won at the national level, and nine gold, 10 silver, and nine bronze medals were bagged at the international level.
Over 21.96 lakh youth were engaged in different sports activities till November this year.
This year, J&K Sports Council conducted various sports activities and developed new infrastructure / upgraded existing infrastructure under various schemes, and engaged mass youth for participation in Sports programs to wean them away from anti-social activities. This was achieved successfully and was used as a tool to divert the attention of youth toward the national stream.
World-class infrastructure has been established at both capital cities for cricket and football. Major Indoor Stadiums under the PMDP and JKIDFC Scheme were established for the integrated development of all sports. This has brought sea changes and participation of youth in Sports at the Village / Town level. Large-scale development of synthetic infrastructure has created the capacity of the youth.
Here are the key achievements of J&K Sports Council for the financial year 2025-26:
1. Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat Abhiyan
In 2025-26 (till December 22nd 2025), 01 International level competition in Pencak Silat, 01 Inter-zonal Softball Championship and 01 Water Sports Festival, and 02 National Level Championships ( Soft Tennis and Tennikoit National ) were organized in J&K. Moreover, International Dangal (Rustum-E-J&K) was successfully conducted at M.A Stadium, Jammu on 20th December 2025.
Here is a wrap of the national championships to be conducted:
19th Junior Roll Ball National Championship to be conducted at M.A Stadium, Jammu from 29th December 2025 to 01st January 2026
6th Edition of Khelo India Winter Games to be conducted in February 2026 at Gulmarg.
2. Ever medal tally
J&K Athletes have performed admirably at national and international competitions and secured the following medals for the current financial year due to the availability of Indoor and Outdoor facilities.
2025-26 = J&K athletes won 85 Gold, 86 Silver, and 126 Bronze medals at the National level and 09 Gold, 10 Silver, and 09 Bronze medals at the International level.
3. Water Sports Festival
During this tenure 1st Edition Khelo India Water Sports Festival was successfully hosted at SKICC, Srinagar, from 21st to 23rd August 2025, in which 409 participants from 28 States / UTs participated, where J&K secured 01 Gold, 01 Silver, and 01 Bronze medal.
4. Youth engagement
Year Youth Engagement
2019-20 1.10 Lakh
2020-21 5.00 Lakh
2021-22 17.50 lakh
2022-23 35.00 lakh
2023-24 36.00 Lakh
2024-25 35,01,675
2025-26
( Till November ) 21,96,140
5. Establishment of Khelo India Centres
The highest numbers of Khelo India Centers in the Country were established in the J&K UT. These functional 81 centers are imparting free training to 3500 plus trainees free of cost. These centers are working in 20 districts and creating a strong sporting ecosystem in the J&K UT. These children from Rural, Tribal, and backward areas are winning medals at the National level. 02 centres of Excellence in Rowing and fencing have been established. These centres of Excellence are imparting Performance Coaching to the athletes. Because of these centres, J&K UT is doing very well at National and International competitions in Rowing & Fencing disciplines.
These centers were established in the last 03 years. There was no Khelo India center prior to 2020-21.
State-of-the-art gymnastics academy, accredited under Khelo India Scheme, was established at M.A Stadium, Jammu, which is equipped World Class Olympic-level sports equipment to improve the skills of the outstanding and budding players.
6. Flood-lit stadiums in every district
Major impetus given to evening sports activity for the first time in J&K by installing floodlights at Bemina playfield, Srinagar, Lal Bazar playfield, Srinagar, NaidKhaiBaramulla, R.S.Pura Jammu, Hiranagar, Kathua Green field Gandhi Nagar Jammu, Seer Hamdan, Anantnag, BHSSKupwara, Shopian playfield, Sopore Playfield, Radapora play field Srinagar, ChinkraMohalla play field, Srinagar, Nowshera, Rajouri, Kalakote, Rajouri, Madr-i-Meherban Stadium, Ganderbal, Palma playfield, Akhnoor, Jammu, and Lamberi playfield, Rajouri. After the installation of high mass lights, evening sporting activities received a lot of encouragement, sparking intense enthusiasm among young people and attracting spectator attention. The TulibalSoporeKhushal Stadium is a beautiful example, where the community football event with high mast lights drew more than 20,000young people for the Industrial Football Cup final. In the Srinagar District’s Downtown area, where people play a variety of games until midnight beneath high mast lights, community activities have had the most success.
Highest international participation
Whereas, 43S portsmen have competed for the country in International competitions in the disciplines of Fencing, Gymnastics, Bodybuilding, Para Archery, Pencak Silat, Football, Rollball and Softball, Rollerskating till Dec 20, 2025.
NOTEABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
Notable achievements in International events during the current financial year are as under: –
Sheetal Devi, Para Archer of J&K, participated in Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships from 22nd to 28th September 2025 and secured 01 Gold, 01 Silver, and 01 Bronze medals.
Rakesh Kumar, Para Archer of J&K, participated in Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships from 22nd to 28th September 2025 and secured 01 Silver medal.
VimalJeet Singh, J&K Body Building athlete, participated in the 15th Men’s South Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship held at Thimphu, Bhutan, and secured a Gold medal and also secured 01 silver medal in the 57th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships 2025 held at Bangkok, Thailand from 18th to 25th August 2025.
Utkarsh Gupta, J&K Rollball athlete, participated in the 1st Junior Rollball World Cup 2025 held at Nairobi, Kenya, from 22nd to 29th June 2025 and secured a Gold medal.
J&K UT Pencak Silat contingent participated in the 3rd Asian Junior Pencak Silat Championship held at SKISC, Srinagar from 25th to 30th September 2025 and secured 02 Gold, 07 Silver, and 07 bronze medals.
Aiyaz Naz Chib, Roller Skater from J&K, participated in the 20th Asian Roller Sports Championship held in South Korea from 19th to 29th July 2025 and secured 01 Gold Medal.
Danish Farooq, a J&K Footballer, participated in the CAFA National Cup held in Uzbekistan from 29th August to 08th September 2025 and secured a Bronze medal.
Rashid Shafi, a Wushu athlete of J&K, secured a Gold medal in the Nordic Open Wushu International Championship held in Sweden from 12th to 14th December 2025.
Recently, SuvidhaSain and Hiteshwar Singh Narania, Rollball players from J&K, secured 01 Gold medal (each in Men & Women) in the 7th Rollball World Cup 2025 held at Dubai from 14th to 18th December 2025.
MaroofShafi and AazimParvez, J&K UT Football athletes, will be part of the Indian Football Team Men U-17 for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in Saudi Arabia.