Sports is not just a profession or a leisure activity. There are many benefits associated with it. First and foremost is the maintenance of health. All over the world, athletes are known to live longer and healthier lives. They are free from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, thyroid, high cholesterol and such. Sportspersons are the brand ambassadors of fitness and well-being. They also can make changes in a society that no amount of cash can do. By shining at national and global levels, they spark inspiration among their followers and push them to follow in their footsteps. In earlier time, parents would discourage their children from playing sports. Playing cricket or football was seen as a wastage of time. But those times have changed now. With the introduction of sports quota for reservation in educational institutions and government jobs, the situation has changed dramatically. Indeed, in today’s world, sports personalities such as cricketers and footballers are some of the highest paid celebrities. While purchasing good equipment for sports such as a badminton racquet or cricket bat was earlier restricted to a certain class of people, with the online world, if you have the resources, you can indeed get the best of these equipment delivered at the comfort of your home. But with the sports enthusiasm seeping into the farthest corners of the world, the competition has got even tougher. Take the example of the Indian Premier League. Some of the world’s best cricketers are unable to find a place in the league because the team owners are looking for the best in the best. This puts more pressure on individuals to hone their talents which requires not just good equipment but also good fitness trainers and coaches. In Kashmir, the sports fever caught up with youngsters since the past few years. The credit for this goes to the previous government which revived the culture of sports in Kashmir. Many of our youngsters have earned accolades for themselves at not just the national but international level too. However, there is a lot of ground to cover and the government has an important role in this. Sports is a good distraction from drugs and violence, the two ailments that have marred our society in recent times. The J&K administration as well as the central government need to not just provide equipment but also get the best of trainers and coaches so that the youngsters of Kashmir can bring laurels not just for themselves but for the country as well.