Boxing championship held in Srinagar

Srinagar District Boxing Championship was organised at the Indoor Stadium here on Monday, which saw a number of girls in participation.

The young girls, who were at once not allowed to think beyond their homes, were seen sporting boxing gloves and participating in the championship.

In recent times, the participation of girls in sports activities has seen a rise amid increasing efforts by the government authorities under the 'Khelo India' programme that aims to nurture sporting talent among youth, especially girls, and encourage them to join any sport.

Jammu and Kashmir Boxing Association's General Secretary, Rajan Sharma, said the government had been giving money to Asian gold and silver medallists as well as to Olympic Athletes, but now, it has also begun giving incentives to players at the grassroots level.

"Gold medallist at the district level is given Rs 1500. The amount is directly transferred to his account and no cash will be given. When I get their forms filled, I always ask them to give me their account number, IFSC code, and bank name. Through this process, the money will be transferred directly to the child without any misuse. I really appreciate the Government of India for introducing such a wonderful scheme," he added.

A boxer, Hayat Khan, said they were receiving a number of benefits under the 'Khelo India' scheme.

"From the day 'Khelo India' has started, girls have got a tremendous boost so that we can represent our state as well as country," he said.