Baramulla, Nov 30: A young athlete from frontier Boniyar Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is the first athlete from the state who got selected for Discovery Channel’s India’s Citizen Squad 2018 – reality show in which 12 selected ‘citizen heroes’ got training by ex-military specialists and underwent a series of challenges.
One among the selected, Muntazir Ahmad son of Mushtaq Ahmed Khan a resident of Noorkhan Boniyar Uri is a martial art athlete and is pursuing his B-Tech degree in Haryana.
“I used to participate in different competitions as a martial art athlete D. I learned from a social media group that there was link in which a participant was supposed to make one minute video to upload on https://www.citizensquad.in/ by Discovery Channel and underwent brief test online,” said Muntazir while talking to Kashmir Images.
He further said that he was lucky to be among 30 participants selected all over India who later underwent physical test and audition.
“I had to participate in a three-hour duration physical test of three hours in which our physical strength, stamina and endurance were examined through multiple tests and exercises. I remained among top five, later a medical test was also done I qualified,” he added.
Muntazir have to qualify an audition and interview later in which he gave answers to jury in his special style as there were various questions.
“I got final call that I was selected and we had our first shooting for four episodes in Sonmarg. We are trained in basics of NSG, MARCOS, Navy. and later we had to complete the missions. Lastly, medals of honour were awarded to those who completed the training successfully. I was first youth from state who got selected for such a great reality show of Discovery Channel,” he added.
According to him the first episode will be telecasted on the four discovery channels on 9 Pm on every Friday.
Discovery Channel lunched its “military based” competitive reality show, where 12 candidates were e trained by ex-military specialists and made to undergo a series of challenges.
India’s Citizen Squad featured “citizen heroes who want to change India for the better for which a team of ex-military specialists shortlisted the participants and then worked with them.
“These 12 ordinary citizens will undergo an ultimate endurance boot camp – a series of intense physical and mental challenges pushing the limits of their body and mind,” the channel had said.
“The chosen India’s Citizen Squad will have to accomplish a new dare-devil mission in each episode of the show,” Discovery Channel had said.
The show will be aired in November on Discovery, Discovery World HD and on Veer by Discovery, a YouTube channel dedicated to military content.
Zuflia Waris, Vice President of Premium and Digital Networks at Discovery Communications India had said the show targeted at those who aspire to emulate military values in their everyday life. “There are citizens who have the courage, the strength to take a stand for what is right,” she had added. “Those, who don’t want to be another dim face in a silent crowd, we are looking for such heroes.”
Those interested in taking part in the show will need to log onto www.citizensquad.in and upload a video of them doing 20 sit-ups, 20 squats and 20 push-ups – all within 60 seconds, the channel announced. They will also need to take a psychometric test online, the channel said.
Major Vivek Jacob, who has retired from the Para (Special Forces) unit of the Indian Army was among the specialists who trained the candidates. “Special Forces is about focus, grit, will, intelligence, balance, strength, endurance and a whole lot of heart,” he said. “We are going to test you – physically, emotionally and mentally to see if you’ve got what it takes to get through a week of what we do over a life time.”
The 12-member strong India’s Citizen Squad, selected from thousands of entries, underwent an ultimate endurance boot camp — comprising intense physical and mental challenges — under the supervision of former special forces experts. Discovery Channel Premiere ‘India’s Citizen Squad’, a military-based show is featuring selected civilians who are eager to change Indian society for the better.
The selected heroes underwent training at a specially created India’s Citizen Squad camp was headed by Col. Manish Sarin, a veteran from the Gorkha Rifles, and along with him were five ex-special forces soldiers from the MARCOS, NSG and the Para SF.
The Indian Citizen Squad, after getting intensive training, were motivated and geared to be the exemplary citizen and set an example for others to emulate.”
Col. Manish Sarin, Camp Commander of India’s Citizen Squad, said, “The concept of India’s Citizen Squad intrigued me. Imagine a bunch of youngsters, willing to go through the toughest of training, just so that they can contribute better as citizens. What would drive them to push themselves so hard, and whether they would really be able to walk the talk. To me, it is a test of faith in India’s youth.”
