Sajad Hussain Parray hails from Gund Hassi Bhat, a hamlet on the outskirts of Srinagar. Although Kashmir has produced quite a few footballers and coaches over the decades, this has remained one of the football blindspots of the state.
Hence, when Sajad appeared for the trials of Sports Council Football Academy in Srinagar, Sajid Dar was pleasantly surprised.
"That place has not produced any footballer till now. Actually, there has been no real football culture in that area," stated Dar, the honorary technical director of the Sports Council academy.
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It was on the streets of Gund Hassi Bhat that Sajad had his first tryst with football along with his two brothers Ajaz and Adil Hussain.