Srinagar : On the sudden demise of Akshay Kumar, a veteran adventurer, the Winter Games Association of J&K held a condolence meeting in Srinagar today and paid glowing tributes to the departed soul.
Akshay died of massive cardiac arrest while cycling in the morning of 16th September.
The meeting, chaired by its President, Mohammad Abass Wani, was attended by all its Executive Committee members and representatives of District Srinagar, Budgam and Baramulla units. Besides, the Vice-President of Ice Skating Association of India, Shabir Ahmad Wani, also took part.
The members expressed their shock over the sudden demise of 51 year old, Akshay Kumar. Abass wani informed that Akshay was son of renowned Mountaineer, Col. N. Kumar and founding Principal of Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering Gulmarg.
According to the statement issued by WGAJK, Col Kumar spent most of his time in Kashmir Valley. “After IIS&M he was posted as Commandant High Altitude Warfare School, Gulmarg. Col Kumar,also called Bull Kumar, is a known figure in the adventure world, he further said. Akshay and his sister Shalija grew up in Kashmir. Both were excelled in skiing and Shalija managed to represent India in Calgary Olympics with Gul Mustafa Dev in 1988. Akshay often used to come here for skiing with his family,” reads the statement.
“He often used to say that I am a Kashmiri as he grew up here and learned skiing with local children. He loved Kashmir and was keen to develop adventure tourism here,” it said.
“Akshay was a founding Director of Ice Hockey Association of India and acted as President of Adventure Tour Operators Association of India as well,” it added.
General Secretary WGAJK, Muhammad Yusuf said that i knew Akshay from the age of 6 when his father was bringing him to Nigeen Lake to teach him swimming during water ski courses there. He said that Akshay was Internationally acclaimed adventurer. He left great marks behind in adventure tourism, a great skier, a wonderful rafter and a best climber. Yusuf further said, it is another setback to Kumar family as his uncle Major Kumar too died at young age while attempting a mountain.
The meeting expressed sympathies with Col Kumar and other members of the bereaved family.
