Hailing from Tangmarg, Shabista and Sabiya, both have participated in five national championships so far representing the state. This is for the first time the two girls will be representing India in any international event.
When Shabista Shabir and Sabiya Nabi were selected in the team to represent India in the prestigious Junior Asian Alpine Ski Championships in Iran, little did they realize that their journey to glory would be full of struggle and hardships.
For young girls, the financial background came a cropper as they struggled to acquire the specialized skiing equipments for the tourney. Enter tourism department, the girls were provided specialized ski sets and other gears at the last minute so that they could live their dreams.
"We had to get it from Europe. It costs more than Rs 1 lakh each. They required two pair each. Every race -- Slalom and Giant Slalom --they require a separate pair. Plus it was to be procured as per their size. Without FIS approved equipment they could not participate. I had no mandate but as a goodwill gesture we intervened and purchased it", said Mahmood A Shah, Director Tourism Kashmir.
Shabista Shabir and Sabiya Nabi are part of the seven member team that will represent India in the Asian Junior Asian Alpine Ski Championships in Iran. India is fielding its contingent comprising of boys and girls who are born between 1993 and 2001 in the Championship.
The selection trials for Asian Junior Alpine Ski Championship were held at Gulmarg on February 3 and 4. More than 30 athletes representing different affiliated units of Winter Games Federation of India including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM), High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), Army and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports took part in Slalom and Giant Slalom trials.
Hailing from Tangmarg, Shabista and Sabiya, both have participated in five national championships so far representing the state. This is for the first time the two girls will be representing India in any international event.
"These girls did not have the required finances to purchase the equipment. Even they did not have the skiing gear. We had requested government and financial institutions to sponsor. But unfortunately skiing is not given preference and priority. In fact the girls' travel expenses were borne by their parents", lamented Mohammad Yousuf, General Secretary Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir.
Shabir Ahmad Dar, father of Shabista Shabir, said they had to arrange finances for sending girls for the championship. "Except tourism department, no other government department came forward. We arranged finances from our own pocket", he said.
Director Tourism Kashmir said the department has been procuring ski sets for past few years for the skiers to participate in the international events. "Our players who mostly come from middle class families can't afford costly equipment approved by FIS for international events. We aim to facilitate these budding players so that they can continue to follow their passions and bring laurels for the state and the nation," said Shah.
Sky Is The Limit
Shabista and Sabiya have participated in 5 national championships so far. This is for the first time the two girls will be representing India in any international event
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