Olympian Arif Khan mentoring India's rising stars

GULMARG (J&K): High above Gulmarg’s snow-dusted ridges, three young Indian alpine skiers, Sahil Thakur, Syed Zain and Faizan Ahmad Lone, are chasing their dreams on the slopes.

They come from different worlds: Sahil from the rugged heights of Manali in Himachal Pradesh, while Zain and Faizan hail from Kashmir’s valleys.Yet the common thread weaving their journeys together is Arif Khan, the pioneering skier who delivered India's strongest-ever men’s slalom result, finishing 39th with a combined time of 2:41.60 at Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 2026.

Under Arif's mentorship, the trio recently headed to Italy's Sudtirol region for an intensive training camp alongside 35 to 40 fellow Indian athletes.

There, they soaked up elite-level techniques, sharpened their competitive edge, and got a real taste of what it takes to race against Europe's best.For 19-year-old Sahil, the mountains are practically in his DNA. Growing up in Manali, where his father Devi Chand and brothers Rajneesh and Rahul all carve turns for a living, skiing feels like second nature. He’s already punched his ticket to big stages, representing India at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea and stacking up national gold and silver medals.

The Italy camp left a lasting mark on him.

“The coaching and that laser focus on technique, it completely changes how you read the mountain,” he says. Now, his eyes are locked on the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.Sixteen-year-old Syed Zain from Humhama, on Srinagar’s outskirts, started with far fewer advantages, no fancy European resorts in his backyard. But his talent shone through early. He swept gold in Slalom and Giant Slalom at the inaugural Khelo India Winter Games in 2020, then grabbed silvers at the 2022 Junior Nationals.

His skills were honed at the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering in Gulmarg, then taken to new heights with Arif's guidance.

Zain looks up to trailblazers like Arif. “Skiing might seem like a European thing, but Olympians like him have shown it absolutely can belong to India too.” He also credits six-time Olympian Shiva Keshavan, whose work keeps fueling the country’s winter sports momentum.Then there’s 19-year-old Faizan Ahmad Lone, whose path blends raw grit with timely help.

A five-time national gold medalist and four-time Khelo India champion, he is pushed into international races—including the 2025 Winter Asian Games in Harbin, China, and FIS events in Dubai and Kazakhstan. “Skiing isn't cheap. Arif didn't stop at coaching, he stepped in to line up sponsors so I could actually compete abroad,” Faizan said.A subtle but powerful reminder links all three: the signature of Italian Olympic champion Federica Brignone scrawled across their helmets. “It's more than just ink,” they agree. “It keeps us locked in, dreaming bigger.”The trio is currently competing as part of the ongoing Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) here.