Mushtaq Ahmad Wani
Today’s life is full of stress and challenges. Children considered assets and the future of the society are glued to mobile phones and stress, anxiety and even drug addiction among the youth is at an alarming rate in Jammu and Kashmir. The lifestyle diseases have increased to more extent due to many reasons. The risks are no longer abstract. Sports and physical activities have long been regarded as vital components for holistic development of individuals. They have far-reaching benefits for children and youth encompassing physical, mental, social and cognitive development contributing significantly to their overall personality growth. Sports and physical activities act as a cushion, providing relief, help to overcome stress, anxiety, depression and get rid of lifestyle diseases. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisages sports and physical education as a part of the curriculum and lays more emphasis on sports-integrated learning for holistic development of students. It aims to equip children with life skills such as discipline, teamwork, leadership, transparency, accountability, patience, and self-confidence. Due to innumerable benefits of sports and physical activities, The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, prioritized experiential joyful and activity based learning over rote learning and theoretical knowledge. Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, teachers in Jammu and Kashmir have been successfully integrating sports and physical activities into classroom transactions for holistic development of students contributing significantly to the physical, mental and psychological well-being of students and enhancing their cognitive abilities and academic performance.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is progressive, holistic and student-centered and recognizes the equal importance of academics, arts and sports. The present generation has become sedentary and left sports and physical activities that resulted in increased sedentary lifestyle diseases. Lifestyle diseases have affected the health of people, especially the younger generation. Diseases linked to sedentary lifestyles like heart disease, fatty liver, hypertension, obesity and diabetes have become very common in contemporary times. Almost every third person in the Kashmir valley is suffering from a disease or disorder linked to their lifestyles. The heart attacks in the valley largely confined to old aged people have now increased in young people in their 20s and 30s. Smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, poor diet, stress, anxiety and lack of physical activities are accelerating the heart diseases’. Sports and physical activities help to prevent and reduce risks of lifestyle diseases. Sports and physical activities release dopamine and endorphin hormones in the body. Dopamine is called the happiness hormone and endorphins are called body’s natural painkillers. These hormones keep us happy, reduce anxiety, stress and improve our mood and mental health. Regular sports and physical activities also improve the quality of sleep, which is another important aspect of mental health. Sports and physical activities increase fitness level and physical stamina. Individuals involved in sports and physical activities become more alert, concentrated and proactive. They reduce blood cholesterol and increase blood circulation in the body. They make the bones, joints and muscles very strong and lower the risk of osteoporosis. Sports and physical activities reduce the workload of the heart and play an important role in prevention of cardiovascular diseases. They also reduce diabetes, cholesterol and obesity. Sports and physical activities substantially reduce the risk of stroke and colon cancer. Many students face anxiety and stress during exams or other reasons like to finish their schoolwork, homework, and it has been observed that sports and physical activities reduce students’ anxiety, stress and pressure and improve their mood. They make them energised, confident, feel better and fresh. They enhance their confidence and make them self-disciplined throughout their life. Sports and physical activities have a positive impact on their brain and even improve their academic performance. Sports and physical activities improve public health and reduce healthcare expenditures and contribute to economic growth.
“Jammu & Kashmir’s talented youth need splendid sports facilities to showcase their potential globally. Engaging in sports and physical activities is vital for students to combat lifestyle diseases, anxiety, stress, and drug use, leading to physical survival, mental thriving, and spiritual growth for a holistic development and prosperous future.”
Sports engagement not only teaches discipline, teamwork, time management, responsibility, unity, cooperation, hard work, resilience, how to handle success and failures gracefully but also honesty, respect, leadership, transparency, accountability, impartiality, sympathy, tolerance, values and ethics. Sports bring people together regardless of caste, creed, colour, sex, religion, region and country. It is a powerful tool against casteism, communism, racism, regionalism and discrimination. Sports activities bring people from diverse class, caste, creed, race, gender and abilities together in the form of events, community engagements and competitions. Sports activities develop leadership skills like management skills, negotiating skills, communication skills, convincing skills, conflict management and confidence skills. Sports activities can be also used as a best tool for diplomacy to influence diplomatic, social and political relations. The Department of School Education Kashmir has taken many progressive and appreciable steps to promote sports and physical education in government schools. It encourages sports, physical activities, yoga, and co-curricular activities. Holistic progress cards and student grade cards in schools have been given due weightage to co-curricular activities of students reflecting the importance of physical and sports activities. Promoting sports and physical activities in children and youth can significantly play an important role in countering the rising drug menace and keep them away from drug addiction. Handling of success and failure has become very important in present times in view of the increasing stress in our lives. The physical activities and sports engagements help youth in de-stressing and being positive in life and other normal activities. Sports teach how to face challenges of life with courage, determination, confidence, integrity and resilience. They also teach them how to handle success and failure easily. Despite known benefits of sports and physical activities, most parents discourage their wards from taking part in physical and sports activities as they fear that indulging their wards in physical and sports activities will not only waste their precious time but may divert their focus on studies. Such parents should be encouraged to allow their wards to participate in sports activities in such a way that would be a balance between their sports activities and studies.
The Government Boys’ Higher Secondary School Beerwah, Budgam is one of the premier institutions in Jammu and Kashmir that has become a vibrant hub of co-curricular activities. Its well-known principal Mr. Abdul Rashied Malla has been allowing students of other schools to use its playground and sports items for sports and physical activities aiming to nurture talent and foster holistic development of students. The institution frequently hosts inter-school matches, honouring the brightest teams and players’ with encouragement and accolades. Notably, in August 2025, under-19 girls’ inter Division UT Level Volley ball matches were held at the BHSS Beerwah, alongside under-14 and under-19 boys’ inter Division UT Level Volleyball contests that served as a selection platform for national players. Mr. Mudasir Nabi Sheikh a hardworking and dedicated physical education lecturer at the school has become an example in district budgam as he has been continuously identifying and nurturing sports talent, thereby enriching the students’ physical, psychological and cognitive growth through inspiring sports activities. The Jammu and Kashmir government needs to improve the overall sports infrastructure. The students and youth of Jammu & Kashmir are exceptionally talented, skilled and hardworking, capable of showcasing their valor and prowess at local, national and international stages when blessed with splendid sports facilities. Let hope that students and youth of Jammu and Kashmir involve themselves more and more in sports and physical activities to keep themselves away from lifestyle diseases, anxiety, stress, drugs and distractions in order to survive physically, thrive mentally and grow spiritually for holistic development and prosperous future.
(The author is a teacher at Govt Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwa Budgam. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
