Srinagar, Jul 21 (KNO): Ravees Ahmad, a renowned Pencak Silat coach from Khanyar in downtown Srinagar, has been selected as part of the Indian and J&K Police team for the upcoming 9th Asian Pencak Silat Championship, scheduled to be held in Vietnam from July 24 to 31, 2025.
Rayees will fly from Srinagar to Delhi on July 23, where he will formally join the Indian team before heading to Vietnam.
Speaking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), as part of his achievement, Ravees shared that he has earlier represented India in various international events and holds several international medals to his name and expressed pride over the opportunity.
“It is a great honour to once again represent the country on such a major international platform. I will give my best and hope to make India and Jammu & Kashmir proud,” he told KNO. He said he is a martial arts coach in the valley and has played a role in training and inspiring many young athletes in Kashmir through the sport of Pencak Silat, a traditional martial art form originating from Southeast Asia.
He added that the sport is gaining popularity in J&K and such international selections help put our talent on the global map. Moreover, locals from his area and students congratulated him and wished him success ahead of the championship.
It is pertinent to mention that Pencak Silat refers to a diverse family of martial arts originating from the Indonesian-Malay archipelago. With roots tracing back centuries, the art form is linked to ancient Javanese legends such as Aji Saka, dating as far back as the 6th century. Moreover, the sport combines graceful movements, strikes, grappling techniques and traditional weaponry. Today, it is not only practiced as a competitive martial art but also recognized as a part of Southeast Asia’s rich cultural heritage—(KNO)