This is an archive article published on September 25, 2018
Under drones and floodlights in volatile Sopore, a football tournament shines
Sopore is among the most affluent towns and is known as the fruit bowl of the Valley, but it is also a separatist stronghold and was once a hotbed of militancy, which means security is always high.
Residents contributed money to set up 24 floodlights. (Photo: Shuaib Masoodi)
Evenings in Sopore draw hundreds of young men and boys from across the region to a football field in the periphery of this town. They spend at least two hours at this field under floodlights, where Sopore, since early September, has hosted the 32-team ‘First Super Cup – under lights’.
Sopore is among the most affluent towns and is known as the fruit bowl of the Valley, but it is also a separatist stronghold and was once a hotbed of militancy, which means security is always high. But since the tournament began on September 5, teams from Srinagar, Bandipore, Kupwara and Baramulla and fans flock to the floodlit field to watch football and gossip. The tournament is slated to end on October 16.
In this town starved of entertainment, the idea of a tournament, says Zafar Ahmad Sheikh, Secretary of United Reds, a local football club, “came from nowhere”. This football club and a small-time businessman, Owais Masoodi, are the brains behind this change.
“One day, we (friends) were talking to each other on how to keep people away from bad habits like drugs. We decided to have a football tournament at our ground. Then, the idea of night football cropped up,” says Sheikh.
Sopore does not have a well-established venue for sports and arrangements for night football, because of the shortage of infrastructure and the security situation in the town, were an uphill task and the government was ready to provide support.
Buoyed on by the idea, locals then joined hands and contributed money from their own pockets to set-up 24 high-voltage floodlights, on four sides of a vacant patch of land at the Karnshivan neighbourhood of the town.
“We have installed these lights from our own pocket,” says Masoodi. “We have also kept a backup power supply in case the electricity goes off.”
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Abdul Hameed Haji travels 2 km every evening to be part of this “festival”. “It is not just a football match, it is like a festival here,” he says, “It is also a social space that we have reclaimed.”
The shadow of conflict, however, still lingers on. “On the first day, when started the match here, two drones were constantly watching our every movement,” says Irshad Ahmad Dar, a football enthusiast, who lives in the neighbourhood.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
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Residents contributed money to set up 24 floodlights. (Photo: Shuaib Masoodi)
