‘Historic victory by Ranji team has energized youngsters’
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 8: Maintaining that democratization of opportunities by Narendra Modi Government have led to renewed sense of aspiration and self confidence among the youth, Union Minister, in PMO with Independent Charge of Ministries of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that historic Ranji Trophy victory by Jammu and Kashmir Cricket team has energized youngsters and the team has become a source of inspiration for coming generations.
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Talking to reporters during the luncheon felicitation of the J&K Cricket Team here today, Dr Jitendra Singh said that there was no dearth of talent among the youth of J&K but they needed to be given opportunity and free hand which unfortunately they lacked in the past. “It was earlier said that Jammu Kashmir Cricket Association selections were not done as they should be,” he added.
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The Union Minister said earlier JKCA was known for wrong reasons as investigations are still going on against it. But hard work and dedication of the team, members of JKCA Sub Committee as well as coaches has removed the taboo attached to the team and they created a history of sorts by winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time in the history of J&K, he added.
He said “The selection made by JKCA Sub Committee has been vindicated and these boys are best of the best and an inspiration for youngsters”.
He said the victory has also vindicated the appointment of Brig (retd) Anil Gupta as the head of the JKCA Sub Committee and Mithun Manhas as its member and proved those wrong who were opposed to it.
The Union Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir is currently witnessing an aspirational surge and renewed confidence among youth, following the democratisation of opportunities and accessibility of avenues under the Modi regime.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, while describing the achievement of the team as a reflection of the growing confidence and aspirations among the youth of the Union Territory, highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister; Narendra Modi, sustained efforts have been made to ensure that youth across the country are provided a level playing field to pursue their ambitions and realize their potential. The culture of “Sifarish” in sports has been vehemently sought to be done away with, he said.
Dr. Jitendra Singh noted that while the process of reforms in Jammu and Kashmir took some time to begin because of the earlier constitutional framework, transformative changes accelerated after the abrogation of Article 370. Following these reforms, the Union Territory began adopting governance and recruitment practices similar to those in other states of the country.
The Minister said that one of the major reforms introduced was the abolition of the interview component in recruitment processes, which has significantly improved transparency and fairness in selections.
As a result, he said, young boys and girls from even the remotest parts of the UT are now being selected for jobs that were earlier widely perceived to be accessible only to those belonging to influential or elite families.
Dr. Jitendra Singh cited a recent example to illustrate this transformation. Referring to the civil services results declared recently, he noted that a visually challenged candidate from the Kashmir Valley, who is the son of a labourer, successfully made it to the civil services.
He said that earlier there was a widespread perception that only candidates from influential backgrounds or those with access to expensive coaching facilities could succeed in such competitive examinations. However, the recent results demonstrate that merit and determination are now emerging as the defining factors in success.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the same spirit of fairness and transparency is increasingly visible in the field of sports as well. He pointed out that after introducing a fair and merit-based process of selection in sports, talented boys and girls from different regions of the Union Territory are now finding opportunities to represent Jammu and Kashmir in various sporting disciplines.
Referring specifically to cricket, Dr Jitendra Singh said the performance of the Jammu and Kashmir team in the Ranji Trophy stands as a powerful example of this transformation. He said that there was a time when the Jammu and Kashmir team was hardly taken seriously in domestic cricket competitions. However, the team has now made a strong mark by defeating one of the most formidable teams in Indian domestic cricket, the Karnataka cricket team. This achievement, he said, has generated a new level of confidence and conviction among the youth of Jammu and Kashmir that they too can compete with the best in the country and succeed.
The felicitation ceremony concluded with the presentation of souvenirs to the players in recognition of their outstanding performance and contribution to enhancing the sporting identity of Jammu and Kashmir.
Member Administration of the JKCA Sub-Committee, Brig Anil Gupta (Retd.); Head Coach of the Jammu & Kashmir senior men’s team, Ajay Sharma; and Captain of the J&K Ranji team, Paras Dogra, were also present on the occasion.
Earlier Mithun Manhas while hailing the contribution of the team through a telephonic message said that this team has not made J&K only to feel proud of them but entire country. He said the cricketers of the country have also hailed the victory of the team.
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