Video By: Rayees Ahmad | Article By: Nusrat Ali
A visually challenged climber from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district has won laurels by making it to semi finals in first ever Indian Mountaineering Foundation national sport climbing championship which was held in Jammu. The two days sports event was organized by the Mountaineering Association of J&K at Sprawling Buds School and was thrown open on 27 March this year.
Mohammad Ashraf Sofi, 26, son of Manzoor Ahmad Sofi, a resident of Trich village of Pulwama who made it to semi-finals in two day climbing championship won hearts.
Around 80 participants from six different states took part in the event of wall climbing. There were 40 participants in Ashraf’s category and he made it to semis which is commendable,” his coach, Syed Abdul Mohsin Andrabi, a trained mountaineer, said, adding though he failed to qualify for finals but his maiden performance with little practice must be appreciated.
Ashraf aspires to be a successful sports climber. He wants to live an independent life and thus seeks government support to fulfill his desire.
