Maj Gen Ranjan Mahajan (Retd)
Baramulla, a district long associated with both resilience and adversity, is experiencing a rare and powerful surge of optimism this summer. The ongoing Varmul Gindo 2025 festival has brought together more than 1,600 young athletes from 75 institutions, competing across 20 sports in a month-long celebration of talent, unity, and hope. Behind the cheers and the trophies, this event is quietly rewriting the narrative for a generation threatened by the scourge of drugs.
A Sporting Renaissance in the Heart of Kashmir
Since its opening at Showkat Ali Stadium, Varmul Gindo has transformed Baramulla’s public spaces into arenas of possibility. On June 29, the district pulsed with excitement as nine electrifying table tennis matches unfolded at HSS Bhijhama. Faizan emerged as a standout, clinching both singles titles, while doubles and mixed doubles saw fierce battles, with Sachman and Sultan among the names drawing applause. Crowds swelled to 90 per match, a testament to the event’s growing pull.
At the B Town Club, snooker enthusiasts watched Sajad Balla and Tawqeed Ramzan claim victories, their focus mirrored by an audience of 100. Meanwhile, Gen Bipin Rawat Stadium hosted 80 karate players, impressing over 120 spectators with their agility and discipline-final results still to be tallied. As dusk settled, anticipation peaked at GDC Ground, where UFC and SS WatergamFC prepared for a football showdown before over 300 fans. In a closely watched Snooker contest, Saleem defeated Karampal, cheered on by an engaged audience.
Across venues, 1124 participants performed before more than 5000 spectators, an unprecedented turnout for local sport.
Voices from the Field
The atmosphere at Varmul Gindo is as much about camaraderie as competition. Faizan, the table tennis standout, reflected, “Winning is special, but playing in front of my community-seeing so many young faces inspired to pick up a racket or a ball-that’s the real prize.”
Coach Nisar Ahmad, who has trained several of this year’s karate participants, observed, “This festival is a turning point. Our youth are proving to themselves and to the world that they can excel, given the chance. The discipline and focus they show here will serve them far beyond the sports field.”
The organizers said, “Varmul Gindo is about more than medals. It’s about giving our youth purpose, direction, and a sense of belonging. Every match, every cheer from the stands, chips away at the darkness that drugs have brought to our district.”
A Community’s Answer to the Drug Crisis
The urgency of this initiative cannot be overstated. Kashmir’s drug crisis is among the most severe in India, with over 1.35 million users in J&K-more than half under 30. Baramulla is one of the epicentres, accounting for nearly 20% of heroin seizures in the Valley in 2022. Most users are young men, and injectable drug use has soared by 35% in three years.
Varmul Gindo’s rallying cry-“Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Sports”-is more than mere rhetoric. Sports offer structure, mentorship, and positive peer networks, all proven deterrents to substance abuse. The festival’s inclusive approach, bringing together boys and girls, urban and rural youth, signals a commitment to building a healthier, more resilient community.
The Ripple Effect
The festival’s influence extends beyond the playing fields. Social media buzz and local news coverage have reached tens of thousands, amplifying the message of hope and engagement. “The real win is seeing kids who once wandered the streets now spending their evenings practicing for tomorrow’s matches,” said a local parent, watching his daughter from the stands.
The Road Ahead
With a few days left for the games to complete, the festival’s true legacy may be the sense of possibility it has ignited. Lasting change will require sustained investment in sports infrastructure, education, and health services, especially as Baramulla continues to battle cross-border drug trafficking and its devastating effects.
Yet for now, in the cheers echoing across Baramulla’s stadiums, there is a sense that a new chapter is being written – one where the youth of Kashmir are defined not by crisis, but by courage, talent, and community.
What makes Varmul Gindo truly extraordinary is not just the roar of the crowds or the grit of the players – it’s the unlikely coalition behind it. The J&K Sports Council, the District Sports Association and the Indian Army – bodies that often exist in parallel, and sometimes in tension – have joined hands for a single, unambiguous cause: the future of Kashmir’s youth. My compliments to Indian Army’s Northern Army Commander & Chinar Corp Commander for facilitating this.
In a place where coordination across institutions is rare and trust even rarer, this collaboration is not just functional – it’s visionary. It demonstrates what’s possible when service, sport, and strategy align around the needs of a generation at risk.
If such divergent institutions can unite over football and fencing, why not over education, mental health or employment? Varmul Gindo 2025 isn’t just a sporting event. It’s a blueprint for what partnership can – and must – look like in the Valley. It is a movement-and not even India but the world should take note.
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