India’s Tajamul Islam is the world’s youngest kickboxing champion, who created history by winning the gold medal at the World Kickboxing Championships twice in 2016 and 2021. Islam is the first Kashmiri girl to achieve this feat. The young kickboxer also successfully runs her own kickboxing academy in her home district Bandipora.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Tajamul Islam was born in 2008 (age 13 years; as of 2021) in Tarakpora village in Bandipora district of Kashmir. She attends Army Goodwill School in her home village Tarakpora in Bandipora, Kashmir.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 1″
Hair Color: Black
Eye colour: black
Family
Tajamul belongs to a poor family from North Kashmir.
parents and siblings
His father Ghulam Mohammad Lone works as a driver by profession under contract with a private construction agency. His monthly income is around Rs. 15,000- Rs. 20,000.
A young Tajamul Islam with his father
His mother’s name is Kulsuma Begum and Tajamul has four siblings – two brothers and two sisters.
Tajamul Islam with his siblings
livelihood
Tajamul formally started training for kickboxing in 2014 at the age of six, apparently, after her Army Goodwill School recognized her talent in the sport. Eventually, she joined a local academy of martial arts in her district and began training in her skills under her coach Faisal Ali Dar. Reportedly, due to the lack of sports infrastructure in Kashmir, Tajamul’s coach trained him to cool down in open fields using only makeshift equipment. The young kickboxer has participated in various district, state, national and international level kickboxing competitions. In 2015, she won the state level championship held in Jammu, where she won the gold medal in the sub-junior category; However, Islam’s first major win was at the National Kickboxing Championship 2015 held at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. In the championship, he once again won the gold medal in the sub-junior category. Recalling his two consecutive major victories, Tajamul said in an interview,
it [kickboxing] happened when my [coach] Sir started an academy in Kashmir and I joined it. My brother and sister took me there and then, I started practicing. I participated in state and national level competitions and won gold medals in both. Sir helped me a lot in my training…I practiced with all my heart and then won the gold medal. I used to watch kickboxing on TV…My brothers and sisters started encouraging me and took me to a stadium where I submitted the entry form for the academy. When I went to the state level for the first time, I was very scared but my boss encouraged me and motivated me. When I went to the World Championships I was a little worried… but then I thought about Kashmir, about India and how it was about everyone, not just about me.”
Tajamul Islam in action
Tajamul came into international limelight on 15 November 2016, when eight-year-old Kashmiri created history by winning the gold medal at the World Kickboxing Championship held in Italy. His historic win made Islam the youngest kickboxer and the first Indian to win an international title in the under-8 category. Representing India among 90 other countries, Tajamul achieved the feat by winning six consecutive matches and defeating his rival from America in the five-day long championship. When he was interviewed after his historic win, the young champion said,
I am happy that I won and I am proud of it. I would like to appeal to all Indian parents to support their children and encourage them and motivate them towards sports.
Tajamul Islam awarded gold medal in World Kickboxing Championship
On 22 October 2021, Tajmul added another feat to her cap by again winning the gold medal in the under-14 category of the World Kickboxing Championships held in Cairo, Egypt. The last rival of Islam was from Argentina. The teenage world champion took to Twitter to express his happiness over yet another international win. He tweeted,
It was really a proud moment for me when I won the gold medal again at the World Kickboxing Championships in Cairo, Egypt 2021, now I am a 2 time World Kickboxing Champion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2psPUhKQc5Y
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha praised the 13-year-old world kickboxing champion after his victory at Egypt 2021 and congratulated Tajamul on Twitter.
J&K LG congratulating Tajamul Islam
medal
Sleep
- 2015: State Level Kickboxing Championship (Sub-Junior Category), held at Jammu
- 2015: National Kickboxing Championship (Sub-Junior Category), held in Delhi
- 2016: World Kickboxing Championship (Under-8 category), held in Italy
- 2021: World Kickboxing Championship (U-14 category), held in Cairo, Egypt
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- On 16 November 2016, after winning his first international gold, Chief of the Army Staff General Dalbir Singh felicitated Tajamul on the historic win. In the same month, the young champion was awarded a cash prize of Rs. Rs 51,000 by the Governor and First Lady of Jammu and Kashmir. Tajamul was also awarded a cash prize of Rs 5000. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has given Rs 1,00,000.
Tajamul Islam with Mehbooba Mufti after winning gold in 2021
- On 23 November 2016, the Bandipora district administration named the kickboxer as the brand ambassador of the National Health Mission in the district.
- In the same year, Solace International School, Pulwama honored Tajamul for winning the World Kickboxing Championship 2016. MLA Langate gave him a check of Rs 10,000 and the school chairman presented a memento to Tajamul.
Tajamul Islam with its awards
Facts/General Knowledge
- Apart from kickboxing, Tajamul loves dancing. She also practices other martial arts like Wushu and Taekwondo, and she also won the title of Best Fighter of the Year at the state level Wushu Championship held in Jammu.
- Tajamul’s elder brother and two sisters are also kickboxers and have participated in several state level kickboxing championships.
- Reportedly, since Islam’s family could not afford his professional kit and his playing expenses, including his matches, the Indian Army helped the young champion financially and facilitated all of Tajamul’s state, national and international kickboxing matches. .
- In 2017, the young kickboxer met the then Sports Minister of India and requested him to provide proper resources for the sport to the people of Kashmir. Earlier, he had also posted a video on his Facebook account highlighting the same issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gliRDaBuQUQ
- In 2019, when Tajamul was only 11 years old, she founded her own sports academy, Haider Sports Academy, in Bandipora. The kickboxer revealed in an interview that through this academy he aims to inspire young girls of Kashmir and train them in kickboxing. That same year, more than 700 people enrolled in his academy.
- Ahead of his kickboxing championship in Egypt, Tajamul posted an Instagram video in which he expressed his desire to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and requested them to provide proper sports infrastructure for the people of Kashmir.
- In an interview, the young champion revealed her ambition to win an Olympic gold medal in the under-18 category of kickboxing. He said,
I will continue to play at national and international level for 18 years and then go to the Olympics and hopefully win there too.
- The kickboxer also revealed his future plans to become a doctor in the Indian Army. Tajamul said laughingly in an interview,
it [being a doctor] There will be benefits. I will first break the bones of my opponents and then treat them.”
Tajamul Islam featured in a newspaper after her victory in 2021
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn