He Mortgaged His Wife's Jewellery to Keep This Football Club Alive. Today, It Plays in the I-League

Jun 19, 2026, 05:00 PM

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Beyond the headlines

Kashmir is often seen through stories of conflict and unrest. But beneath those headlines lives another story, one shaped by football, resilience and a love for the game.

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When hope was underwater

In the September 2014 Kashmir floods, more than 2,550 villages went underwater, nearly 80,000 people were evacuated. Homes, schools and markets were destroyed.

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Relief teams rescued over two lakh people, but recovery was far from easy. With houses damaged, schools shut, and playgrounds closed, many young people lost routine, structure, and hope.

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Two friends, Journalist Shamim Meraj and entrepreneur Sandeep Chattoo, noticed boys wandering through flood-hit neighbourhoods with little to do. So, they bought 100 footballs and handed them out.

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100 Footballs later

A week later, the same boys were playing football together. That moment planted the idea of Real Kashmir FC.

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A bigger dream

The experience led to a larger question: could a football club show the world another side of Kashmir? It was an ambitious dream in a region shaped by curfews, shutdowns and uncertainty.

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But building the club was difficult. Many players worked as mechanics, labourers, bankers or shopkeepers while trying to train. Funding was a constant struggle.

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To keep the dream alive, Shamim mortgaged his wife's jewellery, while friends contributed whatever they could. In March 2016, Real Kashmir FC- the Snow Leopards, officially came into existence.

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Learning the hard way

Four months later, the new team entered the 128th Durand Cup. They finished last, but the experience gave them their first taste of the national stage.

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The Scotsman arrives

Seeking guidance, the founders reached out to David Robertson, a former Rangers and Leeds United defender. Despite Srinagar’s harsh winter and difficult conditions, he stayed and began shaping the team.

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History made

Real Kashmir FC went unbeaten during the 2017–18 I-League Second Division campaign. On 30 May 2018, they became the first club from the Valley to earn promotion to the I-League.

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A valley roars again

The club went on to defeat defending champions Minerva Punjab, partnered with Adidas, featured in BBC documentaries, and inspired young footballers across Kashmir.

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A pipeline of dreams

Today, Real Kashmir FC has a senior squad, reserve side, U-18, U-15 and U-13 teams, along with training programmes for children as young as five. What began with 100 footballs has grown into a pathway for Kashmir’s next generation of players.