Heavy and uninterrupted snowfall this winter at Gulmarg, a popular tourist destination 56 kilometres from Srinagar and situated at the foothills of the majestic Pir Panjal range, has drawn tourists by the droves from across the country and overseas. In addition to being a tourist hotspot, Gulmarg is a popular haunt for adventure-seekers as it is also known for winter sports. Skiers and other winter sport enthusiasts in the area are delighted with the snowfall this winter and they have become a common sight, skiing in the icy valleys of Gulmarg. Recently, Youth Service Sports Srinagar started a skiing course for girls in Gulmarg, in which at least forty girls from Srinagar participated. This snow-skiing course was made free of charge for girls. The snow-skiing course in-charge, Muzamil Ahmed Dar, said a large number of girls have joined the course and are being trained in skiing. “As part of this programme in Gulmarg, experts are teaching snow-skiing to girls. The key feature of this programme is that no fee is being charged from them,” he said. He added that the Department of Youth Service Sports has been holding skiing events in the snow-laden pitches of Gulmarg for the last fifty years. He said, “Kashmir has a congenial environment for skiing and we want to teach it to more and more youngsters.” The girls undergoing training welcomed this initiative. “We are all very happy to be learning snow-skiing at a world-famous tourist destination and hope to complete the course,” said one of the girls undergoing training currently. (ANI)
