New Delhi: Living on the edge of Srinagar’s Dal Lake, Mohsin Ali grew up surrounded by water. The steady rhythm of shikaras ferrying tourists across the lake was part of his everyday life, as familiar as home.
That quiet familiarity has carried the 20-year-old kayaker to a national honour of marching in the Republic Day parade on Jan 26, a rare recognition for someone competing in a little-known water sport.Ali’s journey into kayaking began in 2017, while in school, at Nehru Park Water Sports Centre on Dal Lake. Until then, he only saw shikaras and houseboats. Kayaks were unfamiliar, but curiosity quickly turned into commitment.
Before learning the sport itself, he spent one month training in swimming, a crucial foundation for kayaking in open waters. “I started it as a hobby, but soon got hooked,” said Ali.His progress was steady. “In 2018, I completed my first state-level event. Soon after came my first national competition in Bhopal.” The results gave him confidence, but the real breakthrough arrived years later. In 2022 and 2023, he began winning medals consistently, collecting four medals at national events and a gold at Khelo India Games in Goa. He followed that up with a bronze at National Games in Uttarakhand, placing himself firmly among India’s emerging kayaking talents.
“I have earned 17 national medals,” Ali said.Despite the medals, Ali’s life remains simple. He lives in Srinagar with his family. His father is a carpenter, his mother manages the household, and he is the eldest of three brothers. “I work part-time rowing shikaras for tourists on Dal Lake, often from 4pm until 9 or 10pm.
I am also completing Class XII.” Ali wakes up at 4am to train for kayaking on the lake, returns to practise again after school, and then heads out to work, again on the lake. It is a demanding routine, shaped by discipline. Support for niche sports like kayaking is limited in Kashmir, he said, and financial rewards that athletes receive elsewhere often do not reach players like him. Yet, family support and encouragement from his coach kept him going, even when travel, equipment and training posed constant challenges.Support arrived when Saanjha Charitable Foundation, a non-profit working with athletes from underserved communities, began backing Ali three years ago. “Ali proves that talent is universal, but opportunity is not, and our work is focused on closing that gap. His achievements remind us that when communities come together to uplift potential, individual success becomes collective progress,” said Vasundhra Magotra, founder of the foundation.National recognition arrived unexpectedly. Ali’s achievements were mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Mann Ki Baat, a moment he described as surreal. “I never imagined I would hear from Prime Minister. He congratulated me and my family,” he said.As he prepares to travel to Delhi for the Republic Day parade, rooted in Dal Lake and driven by discipline, Ali now rows forward with a nation watching.
