Tazmeen
Anantnag, Feb 25 : Shazia Hassan, a 24-year-old from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, has scripted history by becoming the first girl from the region to win medals in the Ski Mountaineering event at the Khelo India Winter Games 2024 held in Gulmarg.
Overcoming threats from terrorists who opposed her pursuing the daring mountain sport, Shazia bagged two silver medals – one each in the Ski Mountaineering Vertical Race and the Ski Mountaineering Individual Race categories.
Shazia’s journey has been an uphill battle, quite literally. She lost her father in 2012 and had to shoulder the responsibility of her family from a young age. Despite facing opposition and pressure from anti-national elements to quit, Shazia’s passion for the sport kept her going.
“I received threats from terrorists to stop working and confine myself to household chores as they didn’t approve of a girl doing such adventurous activities,” Shazia revealed. “But I was determined to not let anything come in the way of my dreams.”
“I’m grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating Khelo India, which provided a platform for people like me to pursue our passion for sports,” she said
The gutsy girl is the only female instructor from her region employed with the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports (JIM & WS) in Gulmarg. An expert ski mountaineer herself, she trained enthusiasts in the thrill of climbing peaks on skis.
Shazia’s stellar performance at the Khelo India Winter Games has made her an inspiration for the youth of Kashmir. “I’m grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating Khelo India, which provided a platform for people like me to pursue our passion for sports,” she said.
“I feel proud that our country encourages women to take up challenging physical activities like ski mountaineering. Khelo India has changed my life and many more will be inspired by such initiatives,” the beaming medal winner added.
With her courage and unwavering spirit, Shazia has not just won laurels for herself but also brought glory to India’s flagship outreach program in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
