by Shakir Ashraf
SRINAGAR: Syed Ali Asgar Razvi, 30, who is sponsoring a cricket team, says helping someone achieve their dream is what gives him solace.
Razvi a businessman by profession is not only sponsoring a cricket team but also a football enthusiast out of his own pocket so that they can contribute to the sport.
Razvi who has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from MIT Pune is currently heading the Fast Moving Consumer Goods business which his family has been involved in for decades
After returning back home from Pune, he took over the reins of his family business which, however, couldn’t satisfy the philanthropist in him as he wanted to reach out to people to help them.
The void and his childhood love for sports led him to identify and fund Valley Pride Kashmir Club, a cricket team along with aiding an 18-year-old footballer, Syed Mujtaba Rizvi.
Ali said that helping sports enthusiasts and promoting them on a bigger platform gives him a sense of contributing to the Kashmiri society at large in his own way.
“I sponsor a cricket team. I provide them whenever they require.. I have provided them with cricket accessories. They have won a lot of national-level events bringing laurels to the Valley,” Ali said.
Maroof Ahmad Bhat, who plays for Valley Pride says their team had funding constraints that were hampering their growth.
“I felt happy when the captain of our team told us that we have got a sponsor in Syed Ali Razvi,” Bhat said.
Aarif Sofi, another cricketer of the Club says, “Our club includes players from different districts of Kashmir. We were in dire need of sponsorship because many players from our club were not financially stable.”
He added, “After the sponsorship was given by Ali we were able to participate in every tournament of Kashmir.”
Razvi is now planning to introduce his own cricket club in the Kashmir Premier League.
Razvi said since his childhood he has been associated with sports activities.
“Due to the heavy load of business, I was not able to venture out most times but I sometimes manage to do off-road activities, skiing, and cycling,” he said.
Ali also sponsors an eighteen-year footballer, Syed Mujtaba Razvi says, “I have been playing football for the past eleven years, I started football when I was in 3rd standard, I have played at national and state as well.”
Mujtaba plays for Lone star, a Kashmir-based football club.
Mujtaba gives the credit for his success to Razvi who he says has helped him throughout his career.
“When I went for National Level tournaments, Razvi funded all my expenditures of traveling,” said Mujtaba.
Meanwhile, Razvi said, “My message to youth is to focus on their talent and if you need anything I am always there for you and I want entrepreneurs to help these kids who are full of talent because every Kashmiri the kid is our kid.”
“I like to see youngsters working hard, I always observe their talent and if they lack resources for it I always help them, sometimes some players approach themselves for help. I want to see the talented youth on a big platform,” he said.
He said he is helping sportsmen because somewhere he feels that whatever they will achieve is a part of his success.
“I couldn’t pursue my sports dreams and I am living that through these boys,” he said.
Appealing to entrepreneurs across sectors to come forward to help Kashmiri sportsmen, he said, “The Kashmiri youth require both financial and morale boost-up which only people with stability in life can provide.”
“We should help these young boys because their success will ultimately bring repute and laurels to our Kashmir only.”
