Tajamul Islam demands affiliation for KFI from Govt.

New Delhi [India], Mar. 22 (ANI): Kick boxing, like any other sport in India, is making its recognition courtesy junior champion Tajamul Islam, who made the country proud last year by winning the gold medal at the world Kickboxing Championship of under-eight players in Italy's Andria region. However, Tajamul and the Kick Boxing Federation in India (KFI) are demanding affiliation by the Sports Ministry so that others are also encouraged to join the sport. Tajamul was in the national capital to meet Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel, who wrote to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and urged her to provide adequate infrastructure to the state's kickboxers. This move from the Sports Minister had come after Tajamul's coach called the treatment of his pupil a breach of trust by the state government. Tajamul had posted a video on her Facebook account slamming the Jammu and Kashmir Government for not providing basic facilities to the Ali Sports Academy. In her video, Tajamul showed the degrading condition of the academy and urged the state government to set up an indoor academy for the athletes. Following her social media post, Mehbooba, who is also the president of the state's sports council, decided to release an amount of Rs. 10 lakh for the upgradation of sports infrastructure at Ali Academy, Bandipora. "I want to thank the Sports Minister for writing to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, urging her to provide adequate infrastructure to the state's kickboxers. I want him to get kickboxing recognised so that other players like me also get the inspiration to learn this game. I want all children like me to gain recognition in the field of kickboxing," the nine-year-old said on Wednesday after meeting the Sports Minister. Meanwhile, Yogesh Kumar Shad, working president of the KFI, said that they have been trying since 2008 for affiliation but have not been able to do so. "Our file has been there in the Sports Ministry since 2008 but nothing has been done till now. In January 2016, we were asked to complete the formalities for the last three years which we did but still we haven't received any confirmation regarding the affiliation till date," Shad said. Meanwhile, the Sports Minister on his part said that they would definitely consider the suggestion of giving recognition to kickboxing. It should be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken about Tajamul in his weekly radio show "Mann ki Baat" and encouraged several others to follow her footsteps. The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), like the KFI, has also been demanding affiliation by the Sports Ministry. (ANI)