Srinagar, Aug 13 (KNO): An armless para-cricketer and a government teacher from south Kashmir have been invited by President Droupadi Murmu to attend the prestigious ‘At Home’ reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 15 as part of the Independence Day celebrations.
Para-cricketer Aamir Hussain from Bijbehara in Anantnag district and Waseem Ahmad Lone, a government school teacher from Kulgam district, have received invitations for the reception.
Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Hussain said the invitation was a moment of pride and happiness for the entire community.
“When we received this invitation, the entire village was very happy and proud. For us, receiving such an invitation is a moment of great joy," he said.
The para-cricketer said Jammu and Kashmir is full of immense talent. "Every corner has people with incredible potential. What matters is giving that talent the right platform and encouragement,” he said.
Aamir, who was born without arms, developed his own techniques to play cricket. He learnt to bat by holding the bat between his neck and shoulder. What was initially extremely difficult gradually became a skill through persistent practice. He also bowls using his feet, holding the ball before delivering it towards the batsman.
Hussain said developing the necessary grip, control, direction and accuracy was extremely difficult in the beginning, particularly while playing with leather balls. However, repeated practice helped him develop confidence and control.
One of the most cherished moments of his cricketing journey was meeting legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
Aamir recalled that he initially found it difficult to believe when Tendulkar himself called and invited him to meet. The two subsequently spent around an hour discussing cricket.
According to Aamir, Tendulkar encouraged him to continue playing and never give up the sport. He was also impressed when Aamir explained how he had developed his unique batting and bowling techniques.
Hussain later had another memorable opportunity to bowl in front of Tendulkar during a tennis-ball tournament. Playing alongside and against the cricket legend in a friendly match became a lasting memory for him.
The para-cricketer urged young people and those facing difficult circumstances to focus on the present, work hard and believe that tomorrow can bring new possibilities.
Waseem Ahmad Lone, posted at Government Middle School Durhama in the DH Pora zone of Kulgam, said he was delighted to receive the invitation from the President.
“Today is a very happy occasion for me as I have received an invitation from the President. This is a matter of joy not only for me but for the entire teaching community. I would urge all teachers to teach children by considering them as their own,” Lone said.
He said the student enrolment at the school was very low when he started working there, prompting him and other staff members to launch efforts to encourage children to join the school.
“The roll at the school was very low. We started a drive, and the school has now crossed a good number of students. The enrolment increased from just 12 to around 125,” Lone said, adding that he believed his efforts had been noticed by the higher authorities—(KNO)