That Kashmir has talent, there is no doubt. Years and years of socio-economic neglect has not dimmed the desire of its youth to excel, to pursue their skills, their passion with dedication and sheer grit.
Specially-abled local cricket commentator Irfan Bhat is one such person, who with the passage of time, acquired fame and recognition despite his inability to walk and being dependent on crutches to get from one place to another.
A resident of Balhama in outskirts of Srinagar, Irfan is famous for doing live cricket commentary in Pulwama and Shopian districts.
An orator par excellence, well versed with the nuances of cricket, Irfan enthrals spectators with his juicy anecdotes. He also managed to get a substantial fan following online.
Brighter Kashmir approached Irfan, who has turned his weakness into strength in the past three years.
"I might be physically weak but I love cricket a lot and enjoy it through my commentary. My journey with commentary started in June 2021. I started out doing commentary in local cricket tournaments. I never expected that I would become a good commentator; it came to me all of a sudden. I worked hard on developing my skills and by god's grace, I am now recognised and well known. I have accumulated knowledge about cricket, about established commentators, acquired commentary skills and then used all of these qualities to convert myself into a complete package. I have a good voice and the response that I have received so far has been great," he said.
Irfan spent some time making a distinction between a specially-abled person and a disabled person.
"I am identified as a specially-abled person; I am not a disabled person. There is a difference between the two. In the first instance, I or anybody for that matter may be challenged physically, but we specially-abled have acquired a skill through which we seek to earn a living and pursue that skill with passion. In the second instance, I or anybody would be seen as physically challenged and of no use to society. Therefore, we find it necessary to make this distinction," he said.
"I have never seen myself as weak or handicapped, or unable to do anything. I have always had a desire to contribute to society, acquire both name and fame. I have wanted people not to recognise me as a specially-abled person, but as a commentator of repute. With the passage of time, recognition has come to me not only in Kashmir, but at the all India level too," he added.
Irfan said he is now being invited to join commentary teams and adds that he is thrilled to hear cricket broadcasters saying, " Irfan, please come and join our commentary team."
"To be honest, I still feel I am not a commentator in the complete sense and that there is more to be done to be a complete one. My aim is to be a commentator at the national and international level. No doubt, certain people and sections of society are inspired by my achievements, but I have only one message -- don't give up; pursue your dreams, god is there with you all the way. All of us are gifted in one way or the other, we have to recognise it and hone it into a skill for all to admire."
"We all have to come out of our comfort zones to pursue our goals in life. No work is small or big; pick up a skill or work, do it with love and dedication, it will give you just rewards. This is my view. I love doing commentary, have passionately developed my skill as a commentator and am continuing to do so, and see the recognition I am getting now," he said.
"As a specially-abled person, though there is para-cricket where I would be a right fit as a commentator, but as a youngster, I use to play cricket, but never thought of myself as making a mark as a player, as a para-cricketer, etc. My first and only love has been commentary. I don't look at anything else," he said.
He said his dream was to do commentary for India in an international match.
"I want to travel with the Indian team in India and abroad, and do commentary. People must have the name of Irfan Bhat on their lips whenever India is playing. I want to be like and be seen in the company of ex-Test players-turned commentators like Irfan Pathan, Akash Chopra, Ravi Shastri, Navjot Sidhu, etc. I want to be on that stage, that place nationally," he said.
"If you ask me, society never accepts people like us. Even relatives don't accept you if you are challenged in any sort of way, mentally or physically. I will go so far as to say that society has made the lives of people who are specially-abled a living hell," Irfan lamented.
"Where do we go, who do we tell, who will give us a hearing, we are not seeking sympathy, just give us a fair chance to succeed as you do with others who don't have such handicaps. The government does not help, the administrators do not help, it is a pathetic situation. You will be shocked to know that I don't even get Rs.1000 for a commentary stint, inspite of my so-called fame. I am not dependent on that Rs.1000 for a living; I work hard at other things, I apply myself, my hands, etc., to earn a living. There is a lot of discrimination when it comes to getting acceptance. The frustration is so high at times, that some of us reach the point of even wanting to commit suicide. This is the kind of discrimination that I am talking about; that exists against the specially-abled in our society," Irfan said.
As to who was his favourite commentator, he said, "I have listened to all types of commentators, whether it is in Urdu, Hindi or English. Every one of them has a quality, a skill, but my favourite commentator is Ravi Shastri. He is absolutely brilliant. I like Sanjay Manjrekar too, also Akash Chopra and Sidhu Sir, whom I find particularly funny. There is Sanjay Banerjee, who does radio commentary, though radio commentary is far less popular these days. These are some of my favourites."
Balancing emotion with insight, commentators like Irfan Bhat walk a delicate line. Equipped with modern communication tools in these days of social media and online viewership, they blend the nostalgia of the old with the demanding sharpness of the new. Yet, at the heart of it all, is his and others' unbridled passion that stand out. Kudos