Hyderabad: From rowing a shikara (a type of wooden boat found on Dal Lake and other water bodies of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir) to paddling his way to national glory, Mohsin Ali Kand has come a long way. Mohsin made Jammu and Kashmir proud by winning the first gold medal of the Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025 on Thursday. The 17-year-old Mohsin won gold in the 1000m men’s kayaking event, clocking 4:12:717. It was a career highlight for the youngster. As Mohsin stepped out of Dal Lake, he was greeted by a jubilant home crowd. Unable to hold back tears of joy, he hugged his coach Bilquis Mir, a former international and Olympic judge. This was an overwhelming moment for Mohsin, a 12th standard student of SP Higher Secondary School. To fulfill his dream of representing India at international events, he rows a shikara on Dal Lake after school to earn money for his diet. After clinching gold, Mohsin, the son of lower middle-class carpenter Fida Hussain Kand, said he had worked very hard for it and credited his success to his father. “It was my father who was instrumental in me taking up water sports,” Mohsin said. The lanky youngster added that despite economic hardships and taking care of a five-member family, his father ensured that he developed a keen interest in water sports from a very young age. “Water sports is my passion and I dream of representing India at the international level. To see my dreams actualise, I row a shikara, share the burden of my family, and buy the necessary diet that I require for training,” Mohsin said. A resident of Kand Mohalla inside Dal Lake, who started his water sports journey at seven, Mohsin said that apart from his father, he would also credit the Jammu and Kashmir Kayaking and Canoeing Association. “It is very difficult for me to purchase the necessary diet for participating in such events, as professional water sports athletes are supposed to have a protein-rich, carbohydrate-rich, electrolyte-rich diet, which I am not able to afford due to meagre means,” Mohsin said. However, Mohsin did not let this come in his way of success. With strong determination, he was able to overcome all the hurdles. “The thing that really keeps me going is the burning desire to represent the country at international events like the Asian Games, World Championship, and Olympics,” he said. Mohsin believes that practicing on the waters of Dal Lake in high-altitude Kashmir helps him develop better stamina, which other athletes from across the country lack.