Srinagar, Aug 18 : The first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival is all set to reveal the iconic Dal Lake in a new avatar. Jammu and Kashmir's quest to emerge as a sporting destination will get a major boost when Dal Lake hosts its maiden major national-level Open competition, from August 21-23.

More than 400 athletes from 36 states and Union Territories will be taking part in three medal events ' rowing, kayaking and canoeing.

The Union sports ministry's endeavor to promote sports activities in Jammu and Kashmir has already established Gulmarg as a top winter sports hub. The ski resort has already hosted five iterations of the Khelo India Winter Games and now Dal Lake will be aspiring to become a water sports destination.

For decades, Dal Lake has remained central to Kashmir tourism, art, and culture, and with the hosting of the maiden Khelo India Water Sports Festival, the lake is readying to add to its credentials as a national treasure. The KIWSF is being jointly hosted by the Sports Authority of India and the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council.

The Union sports ministry's national sports policy, the Khelo Bharat Niti, is giving new hope to athletes, coaches and the overall sports ecosystem. The policy will not only enable promotion of sports but bolster commercial benefits for stakeholders associated within the ecosystem. Particularly, the House Boats owners are really looking forward to the Games.

'This is not just an event'it is the beginning of a new era for water sports in our country. On behalf of all athletes, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sports minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, and the entire Khelo India team for making water sports a priority and giving it the recognition it truly deserves,' said Bilquis Mir, a well-known name in the world of canoeing and kayaking and an Olympic judge.

The Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025 will also showcase three demonstration events -- water skiing, dragon boat race, and the crowd-favorite shikara sprint. This has generated enthusiasm both among the segments of society around Dal Lake as well as water sports athletes.

But there are bigger aspirations lurking around the KIWSF. For example, Mohsin Ali, a young water sports athlete, is preparing to participate in the kayaking event. He is a J&K state champion and has won 15 medals, including three gold medals at the national events. Ali, like many others, is training hard. 'I am hopeful of fetching a gold medal at these games that we are hosting,' he said.

'When I started paddling here as a 10-year-old in the 1990s, I dreamt of one day representing India. That dream came true when I became the first woman from India to participate in a World Cup,' says Biquis Mir, adding: 'I am confident that this event will be thrilling and will serve as a great inspiration for our young athletes who dream of representing India on the biggest stage.'

There are more voices that see the water sports festival as a game-changer. Muhammad Imtiyaz, a water sports coach, said: 'It was the Khelo India Winter Sports Games that turned Gulmarg into the winter sports hub in the country. Similarly, Khelo India Water Sports Festival will bring Jammu and Kashmir into the consciousness of the water sports athletes across the country,' he said.

For Dal Lake, the festival is both a sporting milestone and a civic statement. The lake is a living water body, which is protected, managed, and celebrated as central to culture, livelihoods, ecology, and water sports. The different government agencies have also stepped up the lake management with activities like deweeding to meet the demands of both ecology and the event.

Dal's cultural signatures have been woven into the Khelo India Water Sports Festival's design language, with the mascot featuring the Himalayan Kingfisher, a bird that can be found looking for its prey in the waters of Dal Lake, and the logo featuring a Shikara on the Dal Lake.

Muhammad Rafiq Malla, a Shikarawalla who ferries tourists in his boat and is himself a water sports athlete, is excited about the Khelo India Water Sports Festival. 'The Khelo India Water Sports Festival will not only offer opportunities to sports enthusiasts but also to people living in Dal Lake like me,' he said.

'While I would love to watch the young water sports athletes coming from all over the country to participate in the Khelo India Water Sports Festival in Dal Lake, I would also like to see these athletes enjoy their visit in Jammu and Kashmir and explore the Dal Lake's vibrant interiors, watch Dal dwellers carry lotus flowers and vegetables from floating gardens in their wicker baskets and be mesmerized by the Zabarwan range,' added Mall.

/IANS