Far from show-off, Tariq Ahmad Wani, A tailor in Shopian quietly shaping international Sqay-Martial champions

Far from show-off, a tailor in Shopian apolitically trains youth to participate in national and international competitions in his Sqay-Martial art academy without any fee.
Tahir Ahmad Wani, 41, a tailor by profession runs his Sqay-Martial art academy from the grounds of Higher Secondary School Shopian.
Sqay, is a martial art that finds its roots in ancient Kashmir. The art was quite popular in Kashmir before it started to decline in post colonial era. After 1947, given the changing political scenario in the region, Sqay got sidelined for a long time.
Fearing its total extinction from the region Sqay grandmaster Nazir Ahmad Mir introduced modern competitions inspired by Taekwando and Karate during 1980s.
And Tahir is keeping Mir’s tradition alive by training youngsters from Shopian town in this modified version of Sqay.
In around 25 national level Sqay-Martial events held since 2009 across the country , Tahir’s players won 15 gold medals and 20 silver and bronze medals.
In 2017, Zahid Ahmad won gold medal in an international sqay competition held in Thailand.
In 2016,Hamid Rasheed won two gold medals while participating in a national level sqay competition held at Delhi and international Asian Championship competition that was held in Nepal.
In January 2015, four boys from the Tahir’s academy were selected to represent India in 1st tri-nation International Championship held in Bhutan
Among them Rasikh Ashraf Lone, a 5th standard student won a gold medal while Mehran Nasir, Aafaq Abass, Suhail Ahmad Teli won a silver medal each.
Before Bhutan success, Tahir’s students represented Jammu and Kashmir at the 15th national level Sqay Championship in Mysore where out of 6 gold medals which Jammu and Kashmir won, four were won by Tahir’s students.
Faizan Ayoub,15 , so far won two gold medals while participating in international level competitions held at Thailand and Bhutan and 3 gold medals in National level competitions for Tahir in Goa and Maharashtra.
A black belt grade in Martial art himself,Tahir does not charge any fee for training students in his Sqay-Martial art academy.
Tahir was introduced to Martial art by noted black belt in martial art game of state,Ghulam Nabi Dar in 1998.
Dar had then went to Shopian and started teaching youngsters Martial art and Sqay games.
After students of Tahir started bringing laurels for the state internationally, there is a sudden rush in enrolments in his academy.
Many schools in district Shopian have now introduced Martial art and Sqay games in their co-curricular activism for their students.