Kashmir skier Arif Khan featured among top 75 success stories by Swiss embassy

In a detailed statement, the Swiss embassy featured Khan, an athlete from the Baramulla area of north Kashmir, among 75 success stories that highlight the partnership between Switzerland and India. Khan thus joins Gul Mustafa Dev as the second Kashmiri to add gems to the crown of India, reports ETV Bharat's Muhammad Zulqarnain Zulfi.

SRINAGAR (JAMMU AND KASHMIR):In a significant development for the Sports sector in Jammu and Kashmir, Arif Khan, an international skier from Kashmir, has been featured by the Swiss embassy in India as one of the 75 success stories that highlight the partnership between Switzerland and India. This has been done as part of the celebrations in recognition of "75 years of peace and friendship since 1948" between India and Switzerland.

Khan, an athlete from the Baramulla area of north Kashmir, was the only one from India to compete for his country in the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022. With this, he joined Gul Mustafa Dev as the second Kashmiri to add gems to the crown of India. "The Swiss-trained skier from Kashmir Arif Khan became the first Indian skier to win an international ski competition by winning gold at the FIS International Ski Races in Dubai," the Swiss embassy stated, praising Khan's accomplishments and hard work.

Kashmiri skier Arif Khan after winning gold at the FIS International Ski Races in Dubai

"On November 9, this year, Khan climbed on the highest step of the Podium at the FIS International Ski Races in Dubai, bringing India its first Gold medal in a FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) competition. Arif Khan wrote a glorious new page in the history of Indian skiing, and brought the mountains of India and Switzerland one step closer," the embassy said in reference to Khan.

The embassy, while poetically describing Khan's early life, hard work, and dreams, referred to Kashmir as the "Switzerland of India". "With its blue lakes and rolling green hills surrounded by majestic snow capped mountains, Kashmir is often described as the "Switzerland of India." It is there, in the mountain resort of Gulmarg, that Arif Khan was born in 1990.

Arif’s father had opened Gulmarg’s first ski shop in 1976. Arif was literally born on skis and, at the age of twelve, he won his first national competition," the embassy said, adding, "Then his dream to become an international skier took him to the Alps, most particularly in Switzerland, to train with the best athletes."

Kashmiri skier Arif Khan

Khan has been training and competing in Italy, Austria, and Switzerland for more than six months a year since 2018. He is ranked 44th out of 75 success stories by the Swiss embassy. The embassy boasted that Khan is backed by the Swiss Ski Federation and stated: "Khan uses Swiss Skis (Stöckli) with pride and counts Verbier, St. Moritz, Zermatt, and Saas Fee as his favourite skiing locations. Arif, 33, has taken part in five Alpine World Ski Championships and several national and regional tournaments.

Kashmir skier Arif Khan

Khan was the first Indian athlete to compete in two different sports, giant slalom and slalom, and the first athlete from India to represent the country in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Khan will return to Switzerland this winter after suffering an injury in July and leaving his "shangri la beneath the summer moon," according to the embassy.

The embassy went on to say that Khan is firmly determined to put Gulmarg on the map, win new medals, train harder, and represent India at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. "This winter, check out for a Kashmiri skier on slopes, resolute to turn more snow into gold!" it added.