Gulmarg, Feb 24: For Jammu and Kashmir’s winter athletes, the sixth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games is more than a medal hunt. With international competitors on the slopes of Gulmarg, many describe it as a rare chance to measure themselves against global standards — and a reminder of the infrastructure gaps back home.
Local skiers and snowboarders told The Kashmir Convener that competing alongside seasoned professionals has offered an education in technique and preparation, but warned that shrinking snowfall windows threaten long-term progress unless all-weather facilities are built.
“Competing is one thing, but standing next to someone who trains in the Alps — you watch how they prepare, how they read the snow,” said Umar Nazir, who is participating in the slalom event. “You pick up small things — a different way to wax the skis or a breathing technique. These are details we miss when we train only among ourselves.”
Musaib Munshi, a professional skier from Gulmarg, said while the terrain at Afarwat Peak is world-class, inconsistent snowfall over the past few winters has curtailed training time.
“We have good slopes, but for the last three to four years, we have been getting less snow. We need artificial snow guns so we can practise throughout the year,” he said, adding that several athletes currently travel to Europe, including Italy, for extended training camps.
Athletes said the lack of all-weather infrastructure risks turning them into “seasonal competitors” in a sport that demands year-round conditioning.
Bilal Ahmad Mir, a skier from Drung, said Gulmarg’s famed powder snow is becoming less predictable. “The window is getting smaller. We don’t want to be seasonal athletes; we want to be professionals. If we had snow guns, we wouldn’t have to depend entirely on natural snowfall,” he said.
For women athletes, the Games have provided rare visibility and proximity to top-level competition without leaving home.
Gazala, a skier from Srinagar, said events like these make participation more accessible. “When athletes from around the world participate here, it becomes a golden opportunity. For girls, there are often family concerns about travelling far away to train. Getting this opportunity at home is important,” she said.
Ruquaya Akhtar, a snowboarder from Baramulla, said exposure at a national platform helps change social perceptions. “When people see us competing with the best, they begin to understand that this is not just a sport for tourists or for boys,” she said. “For every little girl watching today, it sends a message.”
The four-day Games, inaugurated on Monday by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, have drawn around 400 athletes from across the country.
For many local participants, however, the event underscores both possibility and urgency.
“This event is a window that opens for a week. We get to see the world, and the world sees us,” said Ishfaq Ahmad, a ski mountaineering athlete. “If proper academies and all-weather facilities come up, in a few years you won’t just see us here — you will see us aiming for the Winter Olympics.”
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