Power of sports: How judo transformed life of Kashmiri athlete Kabra Altaf

Kabra Altaf (25) grew up in the Nishat area of central Kashmir’s Srinagar city, with a desire to be called a sportsperson. She didn’t know which sport would be the best fit, but she wanted to belong there.

Her father, who had been her role model since childhood, had taught her different techniques of self-defence and some throwing techniques.

He always talked about the mental and physical strength required to be a sportsperson, and Kabra was captivated by it.

In 2010, Kabra and her father visited the Sher-e-Kashmir Indoor Sports Complex in Wazir Bagh, Srinagar, to inquire about different sports.

They learned about Judo and other kicking games. Kabra asked them what Judo was about, and her father explained that it involved throwing techniques.

Kabra decided to give it a try, and it was love at first throw.

“Kabra’s passion, dedication, and love for Judo made her stick to the sport even when it was hard. She always felt like she belonged in Judo, and it made her feel special. Her dream of becoming the nation’s best sportsperson also motivated her. Kabra was selected for the national only three months after starting Judo training. She played her first school national and got an opportunity from the Bhopal Academy to train there. Winning the first national medal for J&K followed by selection in the India camp was the most inspiring thing for her,” Kabra’s father said.

“Kabra won medals in several weight categories, which was a rare feat. Most players try to play in one weight category and may even fail to win a single fight, but Kabra changed this norm. Despite being a national medallist in skiing, she chose Judo because she found her calling in it,” he added.

“Judo is not just a sport for Kabra; it’s an art. It provides a code of ethics and a way of living. Besides being an Olympic sport, Judo helps people develop physical fitness in many ways. Judo has a number of benefits that can foster good mental health. Kabra sees Judo as a way of living,” he said.

He further said that Judo training involves a full-body workout, improved cardiovascular fitness, endurance, strength, flexibility, agility, speed, dynamic and static balance, explosive power, and endurance development. “Her passion for Judo makes winter roadwork manageable. When her clock rings for practice time, she doesn’t feel the cold,” he said.

Kabra’s father had been her initial inspiration, but she gets inspired by all sportspersons who play with proper sportsmanship and follow the code of ethics of the sport they are involved in. There is no specific athlete who inspires her.

Judo provides some amazing moves that can be used by MMA athletes, such as locking, choking, and throwing. Judo is beneficial in so many ways; it gives a true fighting spirit, improves clinch work exponentially, and most importantly, it gives the player a way of living.

Kabra’s journey in Judo was not just a matter of talent and physical gifts; it took recognition and the right decisions at the right time with capable people around to assist and an array of intangibles to tackle.

Kabra’s passion and dedication to Judo have made her a force to reckon with in the field.

She is one of the few people who can be good at anything they try. When they work on their talent and physical gifts, they develop skills that make them a force in any field. Kabra Altaf is a testament to that.