Skiing as a winter adventure has taken over the slopes of Gulmarg, Solang and Auli over the years. People have started to take a special interest in the sport and India is quickly growing as a hub for skiing in the Himalayas. Today, learning to ski in India is more accessible than ever with top organisations offering courses on some of the best slopes you can find in the country.
In this article, we are going to look at the evolution of skiing as an adventure sport in India, some of the top schools, institutes and the courses that are available for all you adventure enthusiasts out there!
Evolution of Skiing in India
Skiing in India is known to have started on the slopes of Gulmarg with two British Army Officers establishing the Ski Club of India. Skiing grew as a sport ,and became popular among other British Officers as well. They even held two events every year, one during Christmas and one during Easter. This culture and the Ski Club itself collapsed in 1947 when the British left India.
In the 1960s, the Government of India took steps towards reviving Gulmarg as an international ski destination. Instructors were trained, equipment was imported and a chairlift was also installed to facilitate skiing in the region. The State Government also took special interest in the sport and trained local youth who went on to participate in Asian Winter Games and even the Winter Olympics!
The slopes of Solang had been seeing European skiers before the 1960s but the 60s was when the first ski school for locals was established by Wangdi Sherpa in Vashisht. He trained local residents in the sport and familiarised them with the techniques of skiing. Simultaneously, in 1962, the Western Himalayan Mountaineering Institute began offering courses in skiing. To promote winter sports in the region, the first Winter Carnival was organised in 1977 and an All India Skiing Championship was also started. However, it was the Winter Club which was established in 1978 that really brought about the enthusiasm for skiing and winter sports among local youth.
Over the years, all three of these destinations grew in popularity thanks to easier access, improved infrastructure and availability of quality equipment. Adventure enthusiasts now throng Gulmarg, Solang and Auli to get a taste of skiing or to even learn advanced skiing lessons. Given the rate of growth, skiing is undoubtedly expected to expand further with world-class infrastructure and training right at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Certification Levels
Certifications for skiing in India are available at a basic, intermediate and advanced level. Similar to mountaineering, qualifying the prior course is mandatory to sign up for the next one. The basic level gives you an introduction to skiing, familiarising you to the equipment and techniques. A lot of practice is done on the ground on slopes that suit your level in order to get you comfortable and develop your technique. Intermediate level allows you to learn a few more techniques and try out slopes that are a tad bit more challenging than the ones you might have encountered during the basic course. The advanced level takes it a notch higher with more techniques to practice before attempting some of the best and equally challenging slopes in the Himalayas!
Skiing Institutes in India
Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM)
This is one of the most popular skiing institutes in India that offers ski training. It was established by the Ministry of Tourism and Government of India in Gulmarg. IISM offers a number of courses and training programmes, the schedule for which can be found on their website. They play a key role in regulating ski training in the country and also help promote it among the local residents.
The institute offers three snow skiing courses: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. All of them span over a period of 14 days during which individuals are taught theoretical and practical aspects of their course. More information can be found here.
Located in Pahalgam, JIMWS organises mountaineering, skiing and adventure courses for anyone who is interested. They play a major role in promoting winter adventure activities in Jammu and Kashmir and also in India, given that they are one of the leading training institutes in India for skiing.
JIMWS also offers three skiing courses: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. The course runs over a period of 14 days and costs approximately ₹15,000. It is held in Sonamarg/Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Further information can be found here.
Skiing Competitions in India
Auli National Ski and Snowboard Championship which is held in Auli and Himachal Pradesh and the Skiing and Snowboarding Championship held in Solang are some of the main skiing competitions that are annually organised in India.
With the advent of skiing in India, a number of adventure sports organisations have started offering skiing courses in the country. At Bikat, we offer 3 distinct skiing courses with top notch facilities and highly qualified instructors who will make your learning process easy and fun. If you are just getting started and have never tried skiing before, the Introduction to Skiing Course is perfect for you. This course takes you through basic techniques, equipment use and practice on a slope suitable for your level. Once you get a hang of it and understand the fundamentals of skiing, you can progress to the Basic Skiing Course. This gives you more opportunity to try out your skills on moderate slopes that will help you hone your skills. For those of you who have already aced these courses and fallen in love with gliding on the Himalayan slopes, check out our Advanced Skiing Course which will give you access to some of the best and more challenging slopes in the country. Rest assured a rush of adrenaline is guaranteed on these slopes!
Now that you know all about learning skiing in India, go ahead and book your next winter adventure as the sport is only going to grow in the years to come! Should you wish to know more, please contact our team and they will answer all your queries.
