Just about 10 days after Arif Khan made his debut at the Beijing Winter Olympics, two more skiers from Kashmir - 25-year-old Waseem Ahmad Bhat and 20-year-old Ayan Zargar - are set to continue in his footsteps, representing India at the 30th Asian Alpine Ski Championship. The tournament, which is scheduled to be held in Lebanon, will begin from the 23rd of February. Waseem and Ayan are part of a 10-member Indian Ski and Snowboard Federation contingent. Both skiers are keen to make a mark at the continental event, soon after Arif became the first Indian to qualify for two events at the same Winter Games.
At 20, Ayan is a promising young skier from the Azad Gunj area of Baramulla. He's participated in four national-level competitions and bagged one gold and three silver medals in both giant slalom and slalom events. The four-time state champion also has six gold medals at the district-level ski championships. "It's a moment to relish, to represent my country after giving my best in local competitions. I want to give 100 per cent in Lebanon [in the Under-21 category]," Ayan told ESPN India.
"Like Arif Bhai, my dream is to represent the country at the elite level. The road to the Winter Olympics is a long way ahead but I have set my sights on it." Ayan hit the slopes when he was just six years old and there has been no looking back since his father introduced him to the bunny slopes in Gulmarg. His father, Tariq Ahmad Zargar, was a trainer and skiing instructor for over eight years at the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering in Gulmarg. He's trained his son since childhood, and was delighted to see him make the Indian team.
"I am elated with the way he has shaped up. He is a good skier and is purely focused on skiing. He has trained hard for the last two years," said Tariq, who's been the vice principal-cum-instructor at Gulmarg Snow School since 2013. "Being a father, a lot goes into it, but as a skiing instructor myself I can understand what this development means to him and to all of us. It's all about patience, planning, effort, and execution to reach the pinnacle. I am delighted that my son has done it over the years. My prayers are with them and everyone who's participating from the country," he added.
Talking about the moment he came to know he had made it - when India's Secretary General Ski and Snowboard Roop Chand Negi broke the news in a letter - Ayan said he "shouted with joy". "I am keen to make my family proud who had invested a lot in me," he said.
Waseem, the older of the two is fondly known as the 'Tiger' in skiing. He was the captain when Jammu and Kashmir were the best skiing and snowboarding team during the Winter Sports Nationals at Auli earlier this month. Hailing from Mul Bangil of Tangmarg town, the 25-year-old has participated in nine nationals in alpine skiing, including junior and senior category, and has eight gold medals besides five silver and four bronze. He had participated in eight state-level competitions and guides youngsters as well, saying that he skis to find comfort.
"I had worked extremely hard for this event. Myself and Ayan have been training in Gulmarg. I love skiing as it teaches me a lot in many ways. Well, to make it to any major event is any skier's dream. In Lebanon, I would love to execute whatever I have learned throughout these years since I had joined the ski team in 2014," Waseem Ahmad Bhat told ESPN before leaving for Lebanon.
"It's about going there and having fun. It comes all with learning but it takes courage and commitment to excel in this challenging sport. Sometimes you have good days and sometimes it will be rough ones. So, coping up in this sport is what makes you a good skier. The nerves are there, but we're bound to overcome hurdles and this is what skiing has taught me over the years; be strong and perform. It's all about conquering. I'm happy to be out on the slopes - it feels like an accomplishment."
The pair of Ayan and Waseem, as well as the rest of the Indian contingent don't have much time to acclimatize to the conditions in Lebanon. The Kashmiri duo will make their international debut on February 24 and 25, competing in the slalom and giant slalom events.
"The conditions will be entirely different in Lebanon than what we have on an offer in Gulmarg and I am hoping to put up a good show for my country," Waseem noted. The duo has received support from Olympian Arif as well. "It will be a good experience for them and it will create exposure which is an important thing to open opportunities for them. They are highly talented skiers and I wish them all the best for the competition," he said.
Waseem is glad to have got his senior's encouragement. "Everybody has been quite supportive back home. It was important to hear from the man himself. His inputs will play a pivotal role as he has a wealth of experience."
Winter sports itself is not popular in India and with the average skiing infrastructure in Kashmir being the way it is, making a career in this field hasn't exactly been easy. Arif Khan himself had to crowdfund his way initially and still couldn't make the last Winter Games. However, the two youngsters from Kashmir feel that things will change soon. "We all will be there; it is all about time. Today, it's about us. Tomorrow we will have more athletes breaking into the international scene to make country proud," Ayan said. "Gulmarg is more like a backyard for all of us [skiers/snowboarders]. It's the high time that we put Kashmir on the skiing map as Arif Bhai had said it earlier, and I see it as extra responsibility," Waseem signed off.