Kashmir’s Wheelchair Basketballers Are Slam-dunking Through Life

Meet the wheelchair basketball team from Kashmir.

Kashmir’s basketball team battling depression and disability one dibble at a time.

(Photo: The Quint)

Editor: Puneet Bhatia
Video Producer: Abhishek Ranjan

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall”. This basketball team in Kashmir is proving this quote right, one dribble at a time. When life became difficult, this group of people found refuge in basketball. And they haven’t looked back since then.

The team members met at the Voluntary Medicare Society Shafaqat Rehab Center in Srinagar, where they used to play basketball for recreation. Over time, they began to enjoy the game and excel at it. The team has also started representing Kashmir at a national level. Some of the members have now been selected for the Indian wheelchair basketball team.

I am not paralysed from birth, it was due to an accident. I had stomach ulceration due to which I became unconscious and fell from the third floor. Later, I found out that I was suffering from L1 compression fracture.

Inshah Bashir, basketball player

Today, Inshah says she feels more motivated than ever. She aspires to play for India at an international level one day.

Twenty-five people have been selected to play for the Indian team. From Jammu & Kashmir, I have been selected. But here I don’t have the facilities and infrastructure which I need to continue my practice and become one of the top players.

Farooq Ahmed Sheikh, basketball player

The team now seeks help from the government to develop infrastructure and facilities so that they can continue their fight to become better sportspeople.