Sports are an integral part of Kashmiri culture, and the relative peace and stability that the region has seen over the past 15-20 years has drastically improved the sports environment in Kashmir in a very positive way.
As of 2021, the state of Jammu & Kashmir now has 18 stadiums and 23 training centres spread across the state - quite an impressive number for this small state in northern India.
While several traditional sports are also popular in the state, here is a list of sports that most Kashmiris enjoy.
Winter Sports
Winter sports are very popular in Jammu & Kashmir because the state is blessed with snow peaked mountains, green valleys and pleasing weather.
Popular winter sports in J1K include skiing, snow baseball, ice hockey, and snowshoe run.
Skiing is a very popular activity, especially in winters. Gulmarg and Pahalgam are the ideal places to enjoy skiing, and the area has played host to the national winter games of India several times.
So for anyone who enjoys winter sports, the “Indian Alps” of Jammu and Kashmir are a perfect destination!
Golf
You’re probably surprised to find golf on the list, as golf is not a very popular game in most of India (we usually prefer fast-paced games like football, cricket or tennis), but interestingly enough, golf has a large following of fans in Jammu and Kashmir.
The popularity of golf in Kashmir can be attributed to the beautifully picturesque Kashmir valleys which are stunningly beautiful both in summer and in winter.
Furthermore, the hill town of Gulmarg in J&K is home to one of the highest golf courses in the world, the Gulmarg Golf Club.
The club is arguably one of the most scenic golf courses in the world, and attracts thousands of golfing tourists from around the world, thus cementing Jammu and Kashmir as a world-class golf destination.
Football
Jammu and Kashmir is one of the only Indian states in which football is a more popular sport than cricket. Can you believe it - football, more popular than cricket? This would be totally unheard of in a state like Andhra Pradesh - but in J&K it’s a fact.
The state is home to some 500 football clubs which take part in different tournaments at national and state levels.
The high popularity of football in Kashmir is also one of the reasons why the state has produced some of the biggest Indian football players of all time.
For example, Mohun Bagan hails from Kashmir, one of the highest paid Indian footballers and a mainstay at the Indian national football team for 8 years hails from Kashmir, among many others.
Cricket
Although cricket plays second fiddle to football in Jammu and Kashmir, the bet and the ball is, obviously, still a hugely popular sport in the northernmost Indian state.
The Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association is a member of the BCCI and the state has its own regional cricket team that regularly takes part in domestic tournaments like Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy Tournament etc.
Jammu and Kashmir has two cricket stadiums, Sher-i-Kashmir stadium in Srinagar and Maulana Azad Memorial stadium in Jammu. Many popular cricketers have come from this region and played cricket at the national level.
The popularity of different sports in J&K has given rise to an underworld betting market.
However, betting shops and street betting parlors are illegal in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and for that reason, we highly discourage you from making use of these options as it could lead to legal consequences.
If you are interested in betting on sports in Jammu and Kashmir, you are recommended to use an online betting site instead which is a legal alternative. The best online betting sites can be found here.
