Afshan Ashiq, the popular footballer from Kashmir has inspired a generation of girls to take to the sport, but where does she draw her inspiration from? Well, it’s none other than our Captain Cool MS Dhoni.

Afshan, who first shot into limelight when she was clicked pelting stones at the security forces in Srinagar three years ago, was one of the fitness influencers on Fit India Dialogue with Prime Minister Modi on Thursday.

“MS Dhoni is always very calm, I want to be as calm as him, he does not get stressed… it is very important to keep mental stress under control,’ the 26-year-old footballer, who played as a goalkeeper in J&K women’s football team and later in the Indian Women’s League in 2019 for FC Kolhapur City, said during the virtual dialogue.

Opening the dialogue with Afshan, PM Modi said, “Everyone says ‘bend it like Beckham, they should now say, ‘ace it like Afshan.'”

On being asked by the Prime Minister about the secret behind Kashmiris doing well in sports, she said, “We train at high altitude so we find it easy to play in the plains. Training in fresh air helps build stamina. Nature plays a very important role in building stamina.”

On inspiring young girls she said, ” Whenever I see girls exercising, taking part in sports, I feel very happy.” To this the PM said, “whatever you have achieved you have become an inspiration for all the girls in the country.”

The Dialogue, organised to celebrate the first anniversary of the Fit India Movement, was opened by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju who said, “The fitness campaign had become a people’s movement.”

Among others present at the function were cricketer Virat Kholi, nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, actor and fitness enthusiast Milind Soman, para-Olympian gold-medallist Devendra Jhajharia.

Somen spoke about the importance of fitness at all ages. “Fitness has no age bar, one can be fit at any age,” he said.

Last year, the Fit India Movement saw an enthusiastic participation of people from all walks of life and from across the country. The Fit India Freedom Run, Cyclothon, Fit India Week, Fit India School Certificate and various other programmes saw a combined participation of over three crore people.