How Indian skaters are gaining global recognition

Slamming stereotypes, Indian skaters are bringing back a bounty of medals from their exploits on international ice rinks. It has augured a golden era for Indian skaters, for the first time -  if the recent 29 international medals of the talented contingent of 21 is anything to go by! The medals came at the South East Asian championship in Singapore 2023, where they beat candidates from 13 different countries. A few dedicated minds like Amitabh Sharma, president, Ice Skating Association of India, and executive member of the Indian Olympics Association have been nurturing talent, and it’s making a game-changing difference – to catch ‘em young and make ‘em champs. The award-winning group of ice and speed skaters are not just getting high laurels for their prowess, it’s no mean achievement in a sport India is not known for. Credibly, Pune is also fast emerging as a training ground for the sport. Of the 21, these six ice and speed skaters found the right training ground, a difficult proposition in an Indian setting, and that has kept them in good stead, and speed: Figure skater Tara Prasad, 23, Cedar Rapids, USA

Tara wants to bring about change in skating infrastructure in India. “Since India lacks properly built indoor ice rinks, the facilities in the US have been a boon. I’d like to work towards getting a good ice rink in India. I am also hoping to qualify for the world championships, and compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics,” says the US based skater who loves hiking, rock climbing, art, choreography, and sleeping! Tara’s grace on the ice to the gentle riffs of Padmaavat or Paganini mingles seamlessly into such fluid movements. Now, finishing the triple axel in a competition is the US based skater’s biggest challenge. Yet, not many are aware that this ache to represent India saw Tara and her father Sai file a writ to get an Indian passport for her to represent India. “I think winning the Indian national championship twice, and achieving the highest rank for India in an International Skating Union championship are most memorable,” says Tara who is captivated by skating’s creativity, and designs her own programmes and costumes. Slender, her poise and impeccability have seen her fifth in the Dragon Trophy, fourth in the Merano Cup, and she came into the final round of Four Continents (20). “I want to improve my jumps, spins and my skating. I have started working on the triple axel jump,” says the figure skater who trains with   Stephanie Ordaz Kuban on ice for four sessions, and an hour of off-ice, daily. “Medals feel good, and are a great reflection of one’s hard work, however, they are not everything. When you know you have improved, and done things no one thought you could, even if you don’t win a medal, it is still a great achievement,” she says. “Even though Tara was born in the US, she kept asking us about representing India. She researched about the Indian immigration law of 1955 -  found that a child born to parents with an Indian passport anywhere in the world has an option to switch to Indian citizenship within six months of turning 18. We put in the application to the Indian consulate in March 2018, but they didn’t know what to do. We hired a lawyer, filed a writ petition. After that ruling, she surrendered her US citizenship, and filed renunciation papers.” - Sai Prasad, Tara’s father Speed Skater Aarav Aniruddha Patwardhan, 13, Pune

A good speed skater’s agility and swift footedness can take one aback. For Aarav Patwardhan, it’s what he has learnt since the age of four. “Only when you start young can you be in the running internationally,” says the Pune lad, Aarav, currently training in Korea with coach Jihoon-Chae (Olympic medalist and former coach of the US national short track team). It was in Pune under former skating champion and Chatrapati awardee Subodh Patil that his foundation strengthened. From his mother introducing him to the sport, the July born, 13-year-old recently won medals at the South East Asian Trophy Singapore (2023), three golds and a silver at the recently concluded SEA Games. Serious-minded, he trains three days a week with coach Subodh Patil, and Vipul Lunawat. “In the short race, the start is important, in the long, it’s stamina,” pipes Aarav, thrilled at India’s medals, attributing it to, “starting sports at the right age, unlike previous older skaters.” Autobiographies inspire this Harry Potter fan who now, “wants to compete in the World Junior Championships 2024-25 compete with international skaters and improve my timing.”     While India offers natural ice rinks in Shimla, Gulmarg and Manali, the ninth standard student trains on roller skates as it’s a similar technique. Idolising Apollo Ohno, a most decorated winter Olympian, Aarav says, “I want to improve my posture. That is one of the hardest things.”   “Skating calms and empties my mind. I get to travel the world and meet and compete with great athletes, many of whom now are my friends. For me, winning my first gold in nationals in 2019 after failing in 2018 helped clear doubts.” – Aarav Patwardhan   Short track speed ice skater Swaroopa Kad-Deshmukh, 13, Pune

Roller skating at six, and ice skating at nine years, trained by Olympic gold medallist Jihoon-Chae and coach Subodh Patil, Swaroopa’s life revolves around honing her skating skills. She won three bronze and one silver in short track ice skating or speed skating at the SEA Singapore 2023. Now onward, the lithe, seamless bright spark feels, “Indian skaters are still behind, international skaters have amazing technique, yet Indians still manage to cope well even though we only practice in Delhi in a small rink, and have few ice rinks.” With more than 50 medals at club and district level, her recent volley has her smiling ear to ear, “The last time at SEA, I didn’t get any medals. This time, I didn’t make the same mistakes, was happy to make my parents proud,” says Swaroopa who loves drawing, swimming, apart from her first love skating.   Now focused on the Asian, World and Olympic championships as her next frontier, her goal is simple - to get ahead in the game.   “I feel amazing on ice. If I don’t go on ice for a few days, I am unsettled. People are surprised that India is doing well, and international skaters know we are doing well, but we need to improve our technique,” says the girl who is back from a camp at Philippines. Cautioning beginner, she also stresses that learning on roller skates is not the best, “On roller skates, the wheels carry your momentum while on ice, you have push yourself, and it’s really exhausting,” says the ninth grader won two silver medals at the Korea Skating Union held at Gwacheon, South Korea.   Figure skater Harshita Rawtani, 17, Mumbai

The Nashik-born figure skater also began her skating journey on roller skates, and eventually turned the ice rink into her own bastion. She has won 20 national medals over the past six years. At the 18th National Figure Skating Championship, she won gold in solo figure skating, silver in ice dance and pair skating. “The experiences of touring several countries, for training camps in the US, Korea, Philippines and competitions at Lake Placid , Singapore and Kazakhstan, ice skating has not only given me the will to perform better, and it has also instated a sense of pride to represent my beloved country,” says Harshita who finds that skating is her “escape mechanism,” which, “helps me let out my emotions. It is my identity, I skate to express not to impress.” The small little things in life give her joy, and the extrovert is grateful for a good support system in her family and coaches. “I have trained in ballet, jazz, Indian classical Bharatanatyam, and am invested in badminton and drawing,” says Harshita who wants to represent India internationally. “ I also want to get recognition, and develop in ice skating. It has been my dream to graduate from NYU, become an investment banker,” she adds. Figure skater Aanya Singh, 16, Pune

The sprightly upstart started speed skating at six-years-old. “Seeing my posture, my coach Mrs Simrita Sahney Sachdeva recognised my talent,” says the tiny figure skater who skated to Lily by Alan Walker at a previous national. Aanya’s medals at the National Figure Skating Championships year after year, apart, in 2023, she won one silver and two golds at 18th National Figure Skating Championship. A national level gold medalist for the past seven consecutive year she got to be a part of the voting at the Olympic Athletes Commission (as the youngest member selected) – and also meeting boxer Mary Kom and shuttler PV Sindhu. “I am happy to skate, and so thankful to the Ice Skating Association of India for the opportunity to represent my country.”   Aanya keeps polishing her figure skating skills with Jagraj Singh Sahney, even choreographing her own programmes. “The first time I represented India internationally, I was very nervous, yet it was a moment of ecstasy. The most challenging thing is to keep reminding myself to keep going, and not give up, to shake off apprehensions,” says Aanya who is inspired by two-time Olympic medal winner, Russian Evgenia Medvedeva. “She achieved so much at such a young age. She is a mixture of grace and strength, which can be seen in her elegant spins and exceptional jumps.” The trained Kathak dancer feels dance adds grace to her figure skating. Next up, to compete in Asian open championships, and world championships like the Junior Grand Prix. Figure skater: Jatin Sehrawat, Faridabad, Haryana

The words, winter sport, lights up Jatin’s face. The curly haired boy graduated to figure skating after a brush with roller skates. “Ice skating was born in 3000 BC, imagine, I joined figure skating in 2015!” gushes Jatin who thanks Vasu sir for introducing him to the amazing sport. “I was fascinated by how skaters perform skills on the edge of a blade,” says Sehrawat whose first medal was a bronze at the Nationals organised by Ice Skating Association of India (ISAI) in 2016.   “Since 2017, I’ve been undefeated at nationals in my age group. 2018 was the best as I was selected for Team India, a dream come true,” says the gold medalist at the National Figure Skating Championship (2017 to 2022). Injuries do take their toll, and Jatin fractured his ankle during training, and calls it his “worst nightmare.”   “My first international championship was so good and that was where I learnt about my strengths and weaknesses,” he says, crediting his parents and coach Jagrat Singh Sahney for his success. About his idol, Japanese figure skater, two-time Olympic champion – Yuzuru Hanyu, Jatin says, “the way he skates, glides on ice amazes me.”  His next stop is the 2026 Winter Olympic where he hopes to better his performance. The writer is a senior journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._ Read all the  Latest News **,**  Trending News **,**  Cricket News **,**  Bollywood News **,**  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook**,**  Twitter and  Instagram**.**