With over 600 players andofficials participating in the Khelo India Winter Games, but what catches the bullseyeare the six Olympians officiating the event, training the athletes andproviding the technical guidance to the organisers. The engagement of Olympianshaving enormous experience augmented the importance of 4th Edition of KheloIndian Winter Games (KIWG).
Six times Winter Olympianin Luge, Sheva Keshavan, who is also Indian Olympic Association Adhoc Committeechairman of Ski and Snowboarding has been too busy with the entrustedassignments. He believes that Gulmarg has the potential to become destination ofinternational sports considering the natural facilities.
“This place can become theLaunchpad of the country to nurture the potential of the players providedinfrastructure augmentation”, opines Sheva whose sports career spreads overthirty years.
“The KIWG ignited thespirit of promising and talented youth thus ensure this launchpad will bring usmedals in future”, he believes “as there are best trainers and coachesavailable to athletes.”
Comparing the facilitythat was available to him when he got interested in winter sports and thepresent status of the event, Shiva sees phenomenal improvement.
Going with his entireknowledge of the snow games and physical requirements, Sheva has alreadyescalated with the authorities showing profound interest in holdingInternational events at Gulmarg. “One event isn’t enough for promoting sportsactivities, here” he said adding, “Instead organizers need to conduct juniorlevel championship after KIWG.”
The master-planning fortransformation of this destination has to be chalked out, the Olympian feels.
Sheva is not alone indreaming about International Games or Olympic games to be held at WinterWonderland of Gulmarg.
Arif Khan, a local iconwho represented India in the previous winter Olympics and shall be representingthe country again in 2026 winter Olympics has similar views.
With an experience amassedfrom about 140 competitions from national to international level, Arif startedhis career as sportsperson from 1996 while he played first international in2005 under the mentorship of his father.
Interested in GiantSlalom, the speedster gets training from different European countries to workon the technicalities and enhance speed to clinch gold in next Winter Olympics.Khan nourishes two dreams simultaneously, an Olympic medal for the country andgrooming local talent and producing the best athletes for the country.
“I spent seven to eightmonths on training, in preparation for the mega event”, Arif vents hisschedule. “After the culmination of the big stage, I shall work to groom localtalent.” He has just come back from Italy to render his services in KIWG andofficiate events.
“We need to upgrade theexisting natural facility and invite technical officers of Federation ofInternational Skiing (FIS) to pursue the certification so that mega events canbe held at Gulamarg.”
On the field of actionArif, has been tutoring the athletes coming from different states. “To reachthe best position, a player needs to prepare mind for various challengesincluding high altitudes, cold weather and maintaining body composure besidesphysical development. The combination of two shall give best results.” he toldthe participants at Kangdoori.
He advocated for theintervention of the latest technology for overall development of infrastructureon the slopes of Himalayas.
Another 1992 winterOlympian, Nanak Chand Thakur from Himachal Pradesh, presently acting as a coachfor ITBP was elated as his players are clinching medals everyday in the KIWG.
“We witness the maximumparticipation of players from J&K, Uttrakhand and Himachal Pradesh in KIWG'' says Nanak Chand Thakur “but we need to encourage players from other statestoo".
He has participated insports in 20 countries including Iran, Japan, Korea, China and won medals inAsian games. He too pitches for FIS certification and other interventions sothat a right track and legacy in sports is developed.
Chuni lal Thakur also fromHimachal Pradesh has participated in 1992 Olympics in France and is mentoringHimachal Team of Slalom. He says that Khelo India Winter Games redefined thespectrum of sports arena since the activities and competitions escalated to alimit that it set everyone talking about the diverse snow games.
Thakur says that “Indianpublic is now watching live these activities and competitions and inspiringyoungsters to come in these games”.
Like other champions, hetoo agrees intervention at large scale to hold international sporting eventshere.
Expressing his optimism,Thakur says we started our career with wooden Ski and today there is hugeadvancement”. “If we did best to represent our country with limited resources,our youngster can bring medals in future and make our country proud”
Other two Olympians alsoexpressed same views for Khelo India Winter Games.
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