All Rounder

How many sports can you play? One, maybe two! Meet young sports enthusiast Fida Hussain from Leh who is a national level champion in Ice hockey and plays eleven different sports like a pro, Riyaz Ul Khaliq reports.

Nineteen-year-old Fida Hussain, a student of BSc 1st year in Srinagar, is a known face among his friends and peers for his sporting skills. There is hardly any sport left which Fida has not played and won an award. He plays almost every game with perfection.

In his short but illustrious sporting career Fida has won medals in water skating, snow skiing, basket ball, Kho-Kho, table tennis, road races, roller skating, stunts in different games, foot ball, Ice skating and Ice hockey.

Ask him which sport he likes among a spectrum of sports he plays and he replies candidly, “Ice hockey is something I like to play a lot.”

Fida, who hails from Leh in Ladakh region, says his love for Ice hockey developed when he was young. “In Leh ice hockey is a popular sport. Almost everybody knows how to play this sport,” says Fida.

A national champion in ice hockey Fida says his family (parents and four brothers and a sister) has always encouraged him to pursue sports.

When he was in 6th standard, Fida missed a chance to play ice hockey in New Zealand. “I had no knowledge of passport formalities neither my family knew anything about it,” he said, adding, “Surely, money was also a problem.”

But this did not deter him from continuing his passion for sports. “Life is full of opportunities. You miss one and next is in the offering,” feels Fida.

In June 2004 he was selected in Sainik School Manasbal (SSM). “Travelling to Kashmir was altogether a different experience for me. It has changed my life for good,” says Fida.

SSM being a boarding school helped Fida nurture his sporting talent in a professional way. “This school provided me opportunity to develop my skills,” he feels.

Fida is very thankful to his Physical Trainings Instructor Shabir Ahmad Shah who he considers his role model.

Fida says his journey with different sports starts from SSM. He has almost won every game he played. “Luck and prayers of my dear ones were on my side,” he says.

Besides sports, Fida has a deep interest in drawing and has won a prize for his cartoons. “Our school had participated in a drawing competition and I won a prize in drawing at national level,” Fida informs.

Now with passport in his possession, Fida has a chance to play Ice hockey in Poland next year. “It is almost done. I will be playing at international level in 2014.”

There is hardly any sport left where Fida has not left his mark.

Fida has been a part of National Cadet Corps at Sainik School. Besides getting best cadet award from NCC J&K directorate in a camp held at JAKLI in Srinagar, he has been adjudged best in shooting. “I got second position in firing from .22 rifle.”

In his native district, Fida has won almost all sports.

“I have been using my time wisely and that is how I did not miss a chance to play any game,” Fida continues.

 Fida’s team won Football tournament of 2012. He also has interest in polo which is a very famous game in Ladakh.

Besides games, Fida had an edge over his class mates in Sainik School. He participated in various cultural activities held in his school.

“I participated and practiced whole heartedly,” he says. Fida has got certificates and prizes in mimicry, singing, Ladakhi dance and acting.

“Ladakhis are very popular for their dance, so we always got prizes in SSM,” he informs.

Fida plans to continue his studies in science and appeals that an international stadium for Ice hockey is built in his native region.