Olympian Arif Mohammad Khan urges Union sports ministry to develop infrastructure in Gulmarg
New Delhi, March 10: Two-time Olympian Arif Mohammad Khan has urged the Union sports ministry to develop proper winter sports infrastructure on the slopes of Gulmarg to prepare Indian athletes for global competitions. He said a full training season of at least five months, extending until the end of April, is essential for athletes training on the slopes of Kangdoori in Gulmarg.
Lauding the Khelo India Winter Games initiative, Arif said the event has already laid a strong foundation for winter sports in India. However, he emphasized that the focus must now shift towards winning medals at major international competitions.
“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 said.
The Alpine skier recently made history at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy. In the men’s slalom race, Arif finished 39th, improving India’s previous best result in the event by 10 places. The earlier record was set by Kishore Ratna Rai at the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics.
According to Arif, his performance in the giant slalom has helped put India on the global skiing map. He believes the country must now invest strategically in winter sports infrastructure to begin competing for medals at the Asian level.
Since 2020, all six editions of the Khelo India Winter Games have been held in Gulmarg in Jammu & Kashmir, while Leh in Ladakh has hosted the ice sports events since 2024. Union minister for youth affairs and sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya has also announced that the 2027 edition of the Khelo India Winter Games will be expanded into a 15-day event, aiming to position Gulmarg as a global winter sports destination.
Arif, who learned skiing on the slopes of the Pir Panjal mountains, welcomed the idea of integrating winter sports with tourism development.
“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,” he said.
The Olympian also expressed confidence that India could begin winning medals at the Asian level within the next 10 to 15 years if the right investments are made.
Arif believes his Olympic performance should inspire more young athletes to take up winter sports as a professional career. He also highlighted the need for a national federation that can better understand and address the requirements 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 added.
Currently, Arif is training three young skiers—two from Jammu & Kashmir and one from Himachal Pradesh. He noted that there is significant talent emerging from India’s hilly regions and Union Territories.
“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 said.