Arif Khan (skier)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Arif Khan

• Arif Khan is an Indian alpine skier. He competes in the slalom, which involves skiing between poles and gates. In November 2021, his name was announced to represent India in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in the slalom event, and he became the first Indian Ski athlete to represent India in the slalom event in alpine skiing. In December 2021, in a meeting held at Montenegro, Arif Khan received the opportunity to represent India in the giant slalom event too. Arif has represented India in more than a hundred Ski events held across the world and for more than nine months in a year, he receives Ski training in Europe.

• In a conversation with a media house, Arif stated that in childhood, he liked to play football and cricket, but there was no big playground available to him to play that was why he chose skiing as the last resort as it was convenient for him in his home town.

• In 2017, Arif Khan participated in the Asian Winter Games which were organised at Sapporo, Japan.

• At the age of four, Arif started practising skiing in his home town. Arif Khan’s father is a ski equipment shopkeeper in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir. In a conversation with a media house, Arif stated that the shops were very far away from his house and in winters, it was not possible for him and his father to go on thick snow. That was why they chose skiing. He said,
  

  It was in 1994. We had to walk about 500 metres to the ski shop. And there was thick snow. My father had groomed a small ski slope just outside the shop. We started (skiing) at around 9.30 AM and went on for hours.”

• At the age of ten, Arif Khan began participating in state-level Ski competitions.

• Arif Khan won a gold medal in the slalom event at a national level championship at the age of twelve.

• At the age of sixteen, Arif Khan represented India at a junior international ski federation (FIS) event in Yomase, Japan and made his international debut. In this event, he finished at the 23rd position.

• At the age of seventeen, Arif Khan was one of the top 15 skiers at the Changchun Asian Games organised in China.

• Arif Khan was the winner of two gold medals both in the slalom and giant slalom Alpine Skiing events held at the South Asian Winter Games in 2011.

• In 2013, Arif Khan participated in the FIS World Ski Championships, and in the slalom, he finished at 59th and in the giant slalom, he finished at 91st.

• In 2021, in Italy, Arif Khan finished at 45th in the giant slalom and was qualified for the finals of the championships for the first time in his career.

• Arif Khan’s father arranges funds for Ski competitions. Apart from being an active Ski athlete, Arif Khan also works as a skiing instructor or a coach.

• In 2018, Arif Khan experienced a funds shortage during his tour to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and he then tried to arrange the funds from crowdfunding to cover up the expenses of the championships. But, he failed to arrange sufficient funds, and consequently, did not participate in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. In 2021, the sports ministry of India granted him Rs. 17.46 lakh of funds for training in Europe and for the procurement of Ski equipment. In a conversation with a media house, Arif thanked the sports authority of India and the Target Olympics Podium Scheme (TOPS). He said,
  

  It was great to get the support of SAI as a part of TOPS. It helped me buy the equipments, pay the bills of the coaches. Everyone in my skiing fraternity is happy that the government is recognising the sport.”

• In an interview with a media house, Arif Khan’s father stated that Arif planned to get married in 2021, but postponed the plan due to the 2022 Winter Olympics. Arif talked in an interview that his father helped him a lot to become a skier. He said,
  

  My father has played the main role in my career. He raised me as an athlete and provided me with support whenever it was needed.”

• Arif Khan stated in a media conference soon after being selected for the Winter Olympics of 2022 that he wanted to put India on the Ski map. He said,
  

  I want to put my country on the skiing map. If I can achieve something, the global skiing community will take note of where I am from. It might make them see India as a potential top skiing destination.”

• Arif Khan remains active on social media. He is followed by more than 1.7k people on Instagram. More than 2.8k people follow him on Facebook. He often writes and posts motivational quotes on his Instagram account.

  

• Arif Khan is the founder of the National Ski Academy of India (NSAI). Apart from being a skier, Arif Khan is also a trained golfer and cyclist.