Olympian Arif Khan Demands Winter Sports Infrastructure in Gulmarg

A full season of "at least five months till April-end" is needed to train and compete on the slopes of Kangdoori in Gulmarg to prepare our top skiers, he said.

Lauding the Khelo India Winter Games initiative, Arif said, "Six editions of the Khelo India Winter Games have provided an incredible platform to athletes, but now we have to look at ways of winning medals at major global competitions."

Arif entered the history books at the recently-concluded Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy. In the men's slalom race, the Alpine skier finished 39th. It was an improvement of 10 places on India's previous best Winter Olympics result in the event, set by Kishore Ratna Rai at Calgary 1988.

Saying his record finish in the giant slalom event has put India "in the global ski map," Arif said it was time to invest wisely in winter sports in India and start winning medals at the Asian level. Since 2020, all six editions of Khelo India Winter Games have taken place in Gulmarg in Jammu & Kashmir. Leh in Ladakh has been hosting the ice games since 2024.

It is pertinent to mention that the Union minister for youth affairs and sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, has announced the 2027 edition of Khelo India Winter Games to become a 15-day event to make Gulmarg a global winter sports destination. Arif, who learnt his ropes on the slopes of the Pir Panjal mountains, said it was an excellent idea to merge sports and tourism together.

"We have the athletes, and there are ones who can be better than me. But we are missing infrastructure, coaches and funding. Given the government's intention to develop winter sports, I can see better things in the future. We need at least one fully-developed infrastructure in Gulmarg that can function for a good five months," said Arif, adding, "I can guarantee we will win medals at the top Asian level in 10-15 years."

Saying his finish at the Winter Olympics should inspire youngsters to take up winter sports as a career, Arif felt that a national federation was required immediately to understand the requirements of athletes. "The government is doing a lot through its policies to streamline governance in sports bodies. Winter sports like skiing need immediate government intervention and full support," the 36-year-old said.

Arif is training three young boys. Two of them are from Jammu & Kashmir, and one is from Himachal Pradesh.

"There are a lot of talented athletes in the hilly states and Union Territories. Some skiers are also emerging from South India, but the availability of year-round facilities is a major handicap. At least, skating has all-weather facilities in Dehradun and Leh, and Gulmarg can be a priority now," Arif pointed out.

- ANI