Srinagar, Jan 06 (KNO): Zakir Hussain Parry, a young talent from south Kashmir's Anantnag district, has emerged as a shooting sensation, clinching medals at both national and international levels.
Zakir, hailing from Khiram village, recently secured a silver medal at the Asian Shooting Championship in Korea, showcasing his prowess on the global stage.
Domestically, he has bagged two gold medals and one bronze medal in the 66th National Shooting Championship held in New Delhi last month.
Speaking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Zakir expressed his passion for shooting, saying his interest in the sport dates back to childhood and that he began honing his skills a few years ago.
“I started participating in zone and district-level competitions initially, and gradually progressed to state-level contests,” he said, adding, “Following my good performance at the state level, I earned the opportunity to compete at the national level.”
Parry said he is proud to have achieved the distinction of being the only person from Kashmir to secure a silver medal in shooting at the Asian Championship.
Looking ahead, he aspires to represent India at the international level and win a gold medal.
“I am elated about these victories and am committed to working even harder to excel and make a mark on the international stage,” he said.
When asked about the sports infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, the athlete acknowledged the current limitations but expressed optimism about future developments.
“As of now, J&K lacks infrastructure, and we have only a few small stadiums primarily for cricket. However, infrastructure is under development, and we hope to have better facilities soon,” he said.
Zakir said he is hopeful that with the implementation of sports policy in J&K, better sports infrastructure will be developed here and youth can make their career in this field.
Encouraging the youth, he said, “To achieve any goal in life, hard work and consistency are a must. The youth of J&K are talented, and they perform well wherever they get an opportunity.”—(KNO)