NEW DELHI: At the age of four, Arif Mohammad Khan put on skis for the first time, just a few kilometres from the Line of Control that divides the disputed, conflict-ridden region of Kashmir.
It was to be the start of a difficult journey that will culminate in him being the only athlete from India, a country of nearly 1.4 billion people, when the Beijing Winter Olympics begin on Friday.
Skiing is in the family. Arif’s father runs a ski shop and tour company in Gulmarg in Indian-administered Kashmir, one of the world’s highest ski resorts that offers the chance to ski deep, fresh powder.
It is reachable only by helicopter and the Himalayan views are breathtaking.
But the Muslim-majority region has been split between India…
