Awantipora, Aug 25: Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Friday celebrated sports day. The day-long ceremony, organised by Directorate of Physical Education and Sports, IUST, was held to encourage the university students towards sports and felicitate the ones who have participated in various sports activities.
Vice Chancellor IUST, Prof Mushtaq A Siddiqi and two renowned sports personalities of Kashmir, Bilquis Mir, noted Kayaker, and Akber Khan, renowned cyclist, were guests of honour for the Sports Day-cum-Facilitation Ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Prof Siddiqi said, sports helps one to develop team spirit and leadership qualities.
“It also helps a person to accept failures in life, which otherwise often becomes hard to accept for some people,” said, Siddiqi. 
Referring towards IUST sports wing, Siddiqi said, the university is currently working on two projects—athletic tariff and indoor stadium—for multipurpose sports activities, for which university has received a land of 80 kanals.
Emphasising students not to give up, six gold medals winner, Bilquis,dedicated her success to her mother. She is the first woman from Jammu and Kashmir to coach a national team.
She urged the university administration to make sports a priority “in order to prevent students from indulging in wrong activities”.
“I left Asian Games and returned to my state to motivate and support the youth of my own place, so that they will be the next national and international champions,” she said.
First cyclist from J&K, who represented India in Track Asia Cup 2015, Khan insisted all to get a cycle and ride it.“Cycle does not use fuel. It runs on fat. So everybody should have a cycle and do cycling,” Khan said.
Both the guests of honour were awarded with mementos by IUST. The university football winning team, who won inter-universities football match with Jammu University, was awarded with certificates and mementos. Other participants of extra-curricular activities were also awarded.
Besides heads, faculty and students of various departments, Prof Mushtaq A Qureshi, Dean Academic Affairs, IUST, Prof Syed RiyazRufai, Registrar, IUST and Prof K A Tarzan, Directorate of Physical Education, IUST, were also present on the occasion.