Pulwama Finds Hope and Healing Through Sports

The Pulwama district of south Kashmir, also known as the infamous Anand of Kashmir, with an abundance of milk and honey, is ready to transform its reputation as base of the horrific 2019 attack with a major boost to sports infrastructure.

MLA Pulwama Waheed Ur Rehman Para laid the foundation stone for a football stadium in Barsoo, Awantipora. The Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council is constructing the stadium with an allocation of ₹2 crores. The ambition of the facility is to provide next-generation sports facilities to the local youth and engage them in constructive activities. Access to quality sports infrastructure shall aid the youth in developing a healthy lifestyle while keeping them engaged in productive activities, as they bring prestige, like the 2nd Federation Cup held in Jaipur.

DC Pulwama Dr Basharat Qayoom inaugurated the boys' sports tournament at the Pulwama stadium to enhance the sporting culture of the area. The Pulwama police, under the civic action programme, had also organised a boy-and-girl athletic meet at the Pulwama stadium recently to use sports as a medium to foster the comprehensive development of youth.

With the successful hosting of the recent winter sports Khelo India Games in Gulmarg and 92 operational Khelo India centres across the union territory, the centre is prioritising sports-led development of the strategically important area. ₹1,492 crore has already been utilised for sports-led development in the area.

“As Sports Minister, I assure our athletes that the government stands firmly with them. Our focus is not only on infrastructure creation but also on nurturing talent, discipline and confidence among the youth." Satish Sharma said earlier. A ₹137 crore allocation was also made for sports infrastructure development for the financial year 2025-26.