India’s Tajamul Islam is the world’s youngest kickboxing champion, having made history by winning two gold medals at the World Taekwondo Championships in 2016 and 2021. Islam is the first Kashmiri girl to achieve this feat. The young kickboxer also successfully runs her own kickboxing academy in her hometown Bandipora.
Wiki/Biography
Tajamul Islam was born in 2008 (age 13; as of 2021) in Takpora village, Bandipora district, Kashmir. She studied at the Army Goodwill School in Takpora village in her hometown Bandipora, Kashmir.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′1″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Tajamul was born into a poor family in north Kashmir.
Parents and siblings
Her father, Ghulam Mohammad Lone, was a driver contracted by a private construction agency. His monthly income is around Rs. 15,000-Rs. 20,000.
Young Tajamul Islam and her father
Her mother’s name is Kulsuma Begum and Tajamul has four siblings – two brothers and two sisters.
Tajamul Islam and her siblings
Profession
Tajamul officially began training in taekwondo in 2014 at the age of six, apparently after her Army Goodwill School recognized her talent for the sport. Eventually, she joined a local martial arts academy in her area and began training in her specialty under instructor Faisal Ali Dar. According to reports, due to the lack of sports infrastructure in Kashmir, Tajamul’s coach trained her in cold open fields using only makeshift equipment. The young kickboxer has competed in various kickboxing competitions at regional, state, national and international levels. In 2015, she won the state-level championship in Jammu and bagged a gold medal in the junior category; however, Islam’s first major victory came at the 2015 National Taekwondo Championships at the Talka Tola Stadium in New Delhi. In this championship, she once again won the gold medal in the sub-junior category. Looking back on her two consecutive Grand Slam victories, Tajamul said in an interview,
this [kickboxing] happened to me [coach] Sir founded a college in Kashmir and I joined it. My brother and sister took me there and I started practicing. I competed at the state and national levels and won gold medals. Sir helped me a lot in my training…I practiced with all my heart and then I won the gold medal. I used to watch Taekwondo on TV… My siblings started encouraging me and took me to a stadium where I submitted my application form for admission to the academy. When I first went to the state level I was very scared but my husband encouraged me and motivated me. When I went to the World Championships, I was a little worried…but then I thought about Kashmir, I thought about India, and I thought this is about everyone, not just me. “
Tajamul Islam in action
On November 15, 2016, eight-year-old Kashmiri Tajamul won the gold medal at the World Taekwondo Championships in Italy, writing history and becoming the focus of international attention. Her historic victory made Islam the youngest kickboxer and the first Indian to win an international title in the under-8 category. Representing India and 90 other countries, Tajamul achieved the feat by winning six consecutive matches in the five-day tournament, beating opponents from the United States. The young champion said in an interview after his historic win:
I’m happy I won and I’m proud of it. I would like to appeal to all Indian parents to support their children, encourage them and motivate them to take up sports. “
Tajamul Islam wins gold at World Taekwondo Championships
Tajamul added another feather to her cap by winning another gold medal in the Under-14 category at the World Taekwondo Championships in Cairo, Egypt on October 22, 2021. Islam’s final opponent was from Argentina. The junior world champion took to Twitter to express her joy at winning another international title. She tweeted,
It was a really proud moment for me when I won another gold medal at the 2021 World Taekwondo Championships in Cairo, Egypt, and I am now a two-time World Taekwondo Champion. “
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha heaped praise on the 13-year-old world kickboxing champion after his victory in Egypt 2021 and congratulated Tajamul on Twitter.
JandK local government congratulates Tajamul Islam
medal
gold
- 2015: National Level Taekwondo Championships (Junior Category), Jammu
- 2015: National Taekwondo Championships (Junior Category), held in Delhi
- 2016: World Taekwondo Championships (under 8 years old), held in Italy
- 2021: World Taekwondo Championships (Under-14), Cairo, Egypt
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- On November 16, 2016, after winning his first international gold medal, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh congratulated Tajamul on his historic victory. In the same month, the young champion received a cash prize of Rs. 51,000 were donated by the Governor and First Lady of Jammu and Kashmir. Tajamul also received a cash reward of Rs. 1,00,000 allocated by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
Tajamul Islam and Mehbooba Mufti after winning gold medal in 2021
- On November 23, 2016, the Bandipora district administration appointed the taekwondo athlete as the brand ambassador of the National Health Mission in the district.
- In the same year, Solace International School, Pulwama congratulated Tajamul for winning the 2016 World Taekwondo Championship. MLA Langate presented her with a check of Rs 10,000 and the school chairman presented a souvenir to Tajamul.
Tajamul Islam wins award
Facts/Trivia
- In addition to Taekwondo, Tajamul also enjoys dancing. She also practices other martial arts like Wushu and Taekwondo and was awarded the title of Boxer of the Year at the National Level Martial Arts Championships held in Jammu.
- Tajamul’s brother and two sisters are also taekwondo athletes and have participated in many state-level taekwondo championships.
- As Islam’s family was reportedly unable to afford her sports expenses, including her professional equipment and competition fees, the Indian Army financially helped the young champion and competed in all state, national and international Taekwondo for Tajamul Contests provide convenience.
- In 2017, the young taekwondo athlete met the then Sports Minister of India and asked him to provide appropriate sports resources to the people of Kashmir. Earlier, she had also posted a video on her Facebook account highlighting the same issue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gliRDaBuQUQ
- In 2019, when Tajamul was only 11 years old, she founded her own sports academy, Haider Sports Academy, in Bandipora. The Taekwondo athlete revealed in an interview that through this academy, she aims to inspire young girls in Kashmir and train them in Taekwondo. In the same year, more than 700 people were enrolled in her college.
- Before participating in the Egyptian Taekwondo Championships, Tajamul posted a video on Instagram in which she expressed her desire to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to ask them to work for the people of Kashmir Provide appropriate sports infrastructure.
- In an interview, the young champion further revealed her ambition to win gold in the under-18 Olympic taekwondo competition. she says,
I will continue to play at national and international level for 18 years, after which I will compete in the Olympics and hopefully win there too. “
- The kickboxer also revealed her future plans to become a doctor in the Indian Army. Tajamul said with a smile in an interview,
it [being a doctor] will have its own benefits. I would break my opponent’s bones first and then heal them. “
Tajamul Islam in newspapers after winning 2021
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education