ISC MC candidates hope to score many goals of achievement if elected

Published: 29 January 2025

Godwin Isaac K | NT
Doha

Eight candidates contesting to become members of Indian Sports Centre’s (ISC) Managing Committee have said there is a huge potential for promoting community sports in Qatar and a lot can be done in this regard.
The candidates are actively involved in sports and will bring with them a wealth of experience and ideas to inject a new life into community sports.
Out of eight candidates, four will be elected to the ISC Managing Committee in the election to be held on January 31, 2025.
Speaking to News Trail, they shared their vision of propelling the ISC to new heights.

I have been a sports teacher for the past 25 years and am also an International Badminton Umpire. I have been a consistent participant in all major sporting events in Qatar. Sports have been a part of my life. I am contesting because I want to make sporting events accessible to everyone and promote the importance of sports. We also aim to introduce more sports for women, and encourage them to participate.”
– Ajitha Sreevalsan

In Qatar for 17 years, I have been active in socio-cultural activities. Since childhood, I was passionate about sports and played cricket, football, volleyball, chess, tennis, and won prizes, especially in chess. I want to leverage my experiences in public service and sports to take the ISC and sports to more people in Qatar. I also want to start initiatives to bring more women and children into sports and start inter-school sports competitions for Indian schools.
– Abdul Basheer Thuvarikkal

I am contesting again because I am proud of what I have achieved during my current term. We aim to promote regional sports from India, as currently, only international sports receive recognition here. If we don’t introduce these sports, future generations may never know about them. During our current tenure, we organized Khel Mahotsav, and we organized more than 9 games in 3 months, involving participants of all age groups. We introduced cricket training for women and organized box cricket and throwball tournaments, among several other activities. This year, we plan to build on these efforts.
– Deepak Chukkala

I have been actively involved in sports for the past 13 years in Qatar. Personally, I feel that ISC is not organizing enough sports activities for the community. There are many talented players here who remain unrecognized as there aren’t enough events that cater to everyone. And there are many players who excel in sports like Kabaddi and hockey, but there are no proper tournaments for them. As a sports committee, it is our responsibility to provide equal opportunities to everyone, and support their talents. I am contesting to bring a change.
– Shygin Francis

I have been associated with ISC for many years, focusing on management and technical aspects. I am now contesting so that I can contribute directly from within rather than from the outside. My aim is to introduce more sporting events and make them accessible to everyone in the community, including low-income, blue-collar workers living in areas far from Doha city. Many traditional Indian sports, such as Kho-Kho and other regional games from various states of India, remain unexplored in Qatar.
– Hamsa Yousuf

I am a proud member of the Indian women’s volleyball team and had the honour of representing my country last November. I have always loved sports and want to share that love with others. While there are many sporting events in Qatar, we have to involve people from different age groups and states to participate in sporting events. We can form an Indian expat team here in Qatar and collaborate with state associations in India to organize friendly matches.
– Kavitha Mahendran

In Qatar for over 30 years, I was part of the founding team of QIFF. I own a football club called Qatar United Kerala FC, and we have been actively involved with the Ministry of Education and the Qatar Football Association. I have worked closely with ISC and have noticed that a specific group of people consistently contest and win, benefiting only themselves and not supporting others or different communities. I want to change that by ensuring everyone is supported.
– Abdul Nisthar Puthur Abdul Kader

I am a passionate sports enthusiast. Having played many sports and being involved with several sports associations in Qatar, I have noticed many sports are still under-represented here. I want to change this. In today’s digital age, we are seeing an alarming rise in cardiac arrest cases among the youth which highlights the need for more active lifestyles. Another key focus of mine is introducing sports to younger children, as it plays a vital role in building character, discipline, respect for both victory and defeat.
– Kishore Nair