by Shakir Ashraf
SRINAGAR: Sanan Iqbal, a resident of Bungam village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district has become the first football goalkeeper to be selected by the Real Kashmir Football Club.
Iqbal, who is pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration is a state-level player and the first one from Shopian to achieve this feat.
“My interest in football dates back to my school days. I was in the eighth standard when developed a keen interest in the sport. I did my Higher Secondary schooling from Greenland School Shopian and currently, I am pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in Business administration from Iqbal Institute of Technology & Management in Srinagar,” he said.
He said that his father’s sudden death due to a heart attack deterred his spirit for the game but his family supported him to continue pursuing his “passion”
“My father died due to a heart attack which affected my football journey but my mother and an uncle encouraged me to play this game,” Iqbal said.
Till now Iqbal has been part of many football clubs in various districts of Jammu and Kashmir. In 2014, he was adjudged as emerging goalkeeper of Kashmir in a police football tournament.
“I represented Jammu and Kashmir as a goalkeeper in a match held at GMC Science College, Jammu in February of last year,” he said.
Iqbal believes if “better infrastructure” is provided in Kashmir there can be many players like him.