Baramulla’s Ishrat Akhtar carries her dream to Gwalior

Baramulla, Sep 1: When the 9th National Wheelchair Basketball Championship tipped off in Gwalior on September 1, the stands and the court carried the spirit of many athletes, but for one young woman from the outskirts of Baramulla in Kashmir, it was more than just another game.

Ishrat Akhtar, 26, rolled onto the court not under the J&K banner but wearing the colours of Delhi, a reminder of both the challenges and the resilience that have marked her journey.

There was no team from Jammu and Kashmir this year. “Since the Kashmir team was not participating, I got selected for the Delhi team so I could still compete,” Ishrat told Greater Kashmir from Gwalior, her voice carrying equal parts pride and longing.

The championship is being organised by the Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India (WBFI) in collaboration with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Training Centre for Disability Sports, Gwalior.

The championship is being held at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium and will culminate on September 4, 2025.

Akhtar is the lone player from Kashmir who is participating in the championship and representing Delhi.

"I received a call from WBFI president Varun Ahlawat, who informed me about the championship, and I informed him that the Kashmir team was not participating. But I was selected for the Delhi team, which provided me an opportunity to participate in another national-level championship," she said.

Akhtar, however, acknowledged the support she received from retired Colonel Ishenhower from Kerala and Captain Louise George, who is the head coach of the India team, for facilitating her reaching Delhi.

"They have always encouraged me to participate in all the championships and showcase my talent. Such encouraging gestures motivate me to perform better at all the platforms," she said.

As earlier reported by Greater Kashmir, Ishrat Akhtar represented India in the Wheelchair Handball World Championship in Cairo, Egypt, in September 2024.

Hailing from Bangdara in the outskirts of Baramulla town, Ishrat Akhtar in August 2016 faced an unusual and unexpected incident in her life as she fell from the balcony, leaving her handicapped for the rest of her life.

At that time Ishrat was only 17 years old. But despite facing the odds, Ishrat has inspired many people as she continued to excel in sports.

In 2019 Ishrat Akhtar was selected for the international basketball championship by the Basketball Federation of India, and she represented India in Thailand.

Ishrat Akhtar is the recipient of the Kashmir Young Leadership Award presented to her in 2021 and two more awards by the J&K Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha.

Besides playing basketball at the international level, Ishrat participated in the State Level Wheelchair race in 2020 and clinched first position as well.