Kashmir’s ace cricketer Parvez Rasool has opted out of the 2017 calendar being prepared by the Jammu and Kashmir Bank authorities to celebrate the achievements of 12 heroes of the state. He has requested the authorities not to feature him on the list of “12 young achievers”, and highlight the accomplishments of other youth.
According to sources, the authorities had approached him seeking consent for featuring him on the “Wall of Fame”, meant to showcase outstanding accomplishments of youth in fields like business, art, literature and sports. Rasool, however, surprised them by not accepting the offer to be featured on the calendar alongside noted personalities from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He asked them to “utilise the space to highlight the achievements of other youth.” (Also read: Meet these 12 young achievers of Jammu and Kashmir who may grace the ‘wall of fame’)
Speaking to InUth, Rasool confirmed his decision. “Actually I was not comfortable with this. It was my personal decision. But yes I didn’t bluntly refuse as I did feel honoured by their gesture. So I requested them not to take it otherwise,” he said.
Rasool was among the probables from the field of sports to grace the upcoming calendar.
Born in 1989, he is the first Kashmiri ever to have played for team India. A right-hand batsman and an off-break bowler, Rasool captains the J&K team.
The authorities had received 250 nominations for 12 slots in the calendar. Most of the applicants hadn’t applied themselves and the bank was reaching out to them for consent. Here is the list of 11 other personalities that can make it to the ‘Wall of Fame’.
Fashion designer Zubair Kirmani
Twitter’s India chief Raheel Khursheed
Educationist Sabbah Haji
Programmer Mehvish
Kickboxing champion Tajamul Islam
38-yr-old footballer Mehrajuddin Wadoo
IAS topper Dr Shah Faesal
Writer Basharat Peer
Khurram of K-apple fame
RJ Nasir
BSF exam topper Nabeel Ahmed
