Warming up to winter games

Subhash Rajta

The battery of my phone has died five times since this morning.  I’ve never spoken so much on the phone,” says Roshan Thakur. He sounds tired but the joy and excitement coursing through his veins do not let him stop. So, for the umpteenth time, the proud father recounts his daughter’s historic feat all over again. His daughter, 21-year-old Aanchal Thakur, has won India's first-ever international medal in skiing, a bronze, in Turkey.

The phone has not stopped ringing since January 9. Congratulations are pouring in as are the calls for interviews to the media. Her win has triggered off an avalanche of praise and congratulatory messages that probably no other winter sports athlete has received till date.

About a week later after her dream run, sitting in her home at Manali, Aanchal still finds it hard to believe what she has achieved, and the reactions her feat has triggered. "It still feels like a dream, both wining the medal and what happened after that. I was extremely happy when I won the medal, but its significance dawned upon me the next day when I saw the Prime Minister and other top dignitaries tweeting for me," says Aanchal.

For Thakur, Aanchal's medal has brought double delight. As a father, he is proud of his daughter; and as the secretary of the Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI), he is overjoyed with the buzz the medal has created about winter sports across the country. After all, indifference and ignorance have kept winter sports out in the cold for several decades. The sport has been desperately waiting for a breakthrough feat to break the perception that it's merely a pastime of a few adventurous types, not a serious sport; and to catch the attention of the masses and decision-makers.

Of course, Shiva Keshavan has been around for two decades and is all set to make a record sixth appearance at the Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang, in South Korea next month. That makes him an absolute legend, but his sport, luge, is relatively lesser known in India. Hence, he hasn’t been able to spark the much-needed interest in winter sports. 

Game changer 

Aanchal’s medal, however, seems to have the potential to become a game-changer for winter sports. And her father, as well as others associated with winter sports, appear to have sensed it. “There was absolutely no recognition for winter sports athletes, nor any support and encouragement from the government till now,” says Thakur. “But Aanchal’s medal has brought winter sports into limelight like never before. It has been appreciated by the Prime Minister, many other dignitaries, and the general public. This makes us hope that the government will take our sport more seriously now and offer us the required support.” 

Besides, he feels, Aanchal’s medal will motivate and encourage several aspiring and upcoming skiers. “The government has announced a cash award for her, a massive function was organised in her honour when she returned home. All this will motivate and inspire many other kids to push harder,” adds Thakur.

Poor infrastructure 

Even as this skiing medal is probably the best thing to have happened to winter sports in a long time, it is unlikely to change much, at least in a foreseeable future, for winter sports have been on a downhill slope for a long, long time.  “Despite the medal, which is, of course, a great thing to happen, winter sports is still where it was 30 years back,” says Ludar Thakur, a national coach and former national-level skier. “All this interest and attention is fine, but all this brouhaha will mean nothing if it doesn’t translate into facilities at the grassroots level for our budding skiers and other athletes.” 

“Our skiers need to go abroad to train. Given how much it costs and the meagre resources the federation has, we can send only a handful kids for training. Frankly, that’s not going to change anything for the sport,” adds Ludar.

Thakur concurs with him. “We need to have quality ski resorts, a couple of slopes in the country to be certified by the Federation Internationale de Ski. It will ensure our skiers can train at home, and we can host at least one or two international events in a year. This will help our skiers earn ranking points to qualify for major international tournaments,” he says. “At the moment, all skiers need to go abroad to train and participate in international events, and only a handful can afford that.”

That’s, of course, not a very rosy scenario. And unless we want winter sports to sink back in the sea of obscurity from which Aanchal has pulled it out, everyone concerned will need to make a massive effort to get the sport rolling on Indian slopes.

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“I hope my medal becomes a turning point” 

The last two weeks have been full of surprises for Aanchal Thakur. The petite girl from Manali surprised herself and many others by winning India’s first-ever international medal in skiing. She is also surprised to see everyone, including the Prime Minister, taking note and celebrating her feat. Having seen the unprecedented interest her win has generated, Aanchal hopes that it becomes a “turning point” for the sport in the country...

You called your win unexpected. Why?

That’s because of the difference in the support and facilities our competitors get, and what we get. My competitors get to train for around eight to 10 months in a year; whereas in India, we can train for just two to three months. I was hopeful of having a good race, but I wasn’t expecting to win a medal so early in my career.

Were you surprised by the reactions ?

To be honest, it was more surprising than winning. I had not thought even in my dreams that one day the Prime Minister will tweet for me. 

 Can this victory ring in good days for the largely ignored winter sports?

I hope my medal will prove to be the turning point for the sport. I am also hopeful that the government will offer us more support and facilities. Like other athletes, we also work hard to get better at our sport and represent the nation at international stage. So, we should get the support and facilities the other sportspersons get. I am hopeful things will change now. 

How did your competitors react to seeing you on the podium?

Well, they were surprised too. Because they know we don’t get the kind of facilities that they get. So, yes, they were surprised. They keep telling me they want to come to India for skiing in the Himalayas. Hopefully, we will soon be able to host an international tournament.

What are your goals now? What would you tell the upcoming skiers?

Just keep following your passion. You never know what can happen with you. It has happened with me, so it can happen to you as well. As for my goals, I obviously want to win many more medals for the country, and represent the country at the Olympics. That’s my biggest dream now.