Kashmiri fitness guru selected as jury member for Mr, Ms India event

Earning a rare honour, a Kashmiri fitness guru has been selected as one of the jury members for the prestigious Mr. and Ms India event.

As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khan, a former athlete in bodybuilding sport is among 20-member jury to select Mr. and Ms. India 2023.

The event, which is being organised by World Fitness Federation (WFF), is scheduled to be held on December 15,16 and 17 in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

This is for the first time that any fitness guru from Jammu and Kashmir will be judging the national level athletes on such a bigger platform.

"I have been serving as president of the World Fitness Federation in Jammu and Kashmir for a number of years. I am one of the twenty jurors who will judge the national event this year. I am the first athlete from Jammu and Kashmir's fitness community to serve as a judge for an event of this magnitude,” Khan said.

Khan will be leading a team of top-notch fitness gurus from India to judge the competition. “We are a team of leading fitness gurus from different states of India, who currently serve as members of the World Fitness Federation. All these members have a great contribution to the fitness industry of India and have given top-level athletes to India,” he said.

An ace bodybuilder, Khan said judging the event was a matter of pride for him. “Participants will include bodybuilders from several states, therefore it will be a really challenging competition. As a trainer, I'm convinced that my attendance at the event will inspire young people to set and meet higher goals," he stated.

Last year Khan was also among the jury members to select Mr. and Ms. India in Odisha. 

Khan said he simultaneously is preparing athletes to compete for national and international events.

“The fitness industry in Kashmir is changing as our athletes' aspire to compete internationally. Our athletes are being prepared to compete on a global scale by working hard to achieve their goals," he stated.

Athletes from Kashmir termed the participation of Khan in the international event as a “big success” for the fitness fraternity of Kashmir.

“It is a great achievement for Kashmir-based athletes. Ishtiyaq Khan sahab has been constantly a big support for athletes of Kashmir and his participation in Mr and Miss Universe 2023 competition will certainly boost our athletes to prepare for such competitions,” said Fardeem Hussain, additional secretary Powerlifting Federation of India, Jammu, and Kashmir