Two-time Olympian Arif Mohammad Khan has urged the Union sports ministry to enable at least one proper infrastructure on the slopes of Gulmarg to prepare Indian athletes for global events. 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 in 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 Gulmar a global winter sports destination. Ari, 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 requirement of athletes. “The government is doing a lot through its policies to streamline governance in sports bodies. Winter sports like skiing needs 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, Gulmarg can be a priority now,” Arif pointed out.
(eom)
ABOUT KHELO INDIA WINTER GAMES
Under the Khelo India Scheme, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) organizes National-level competitions, i.e., Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India University Games, Khelo India Para Games and Khelo India Winter Games to provide a platform for talented athletes to showcase their sporting and competitive skills. Starting in 2020, six editions of Khelo India Winter Games have been successfully conducted. While the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir has hosted all editions of KIWG, UT Ladakh started hosting the ice sports from 2024. In January 2026, UT Ladakh hosted the ice Games for the third consecutive time. Gulmarg in J&K hosted the snow events in February 2026. Apart from tapping talent, Khelo India Winter Games also showcase a region’s art, culture, heritage, and promotes tourism through sports.
(EOM)
