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Since years the Winter Olympics have been under the shadows of Summer Olympics, today it is widely considered as the OTHER OLYMPICS. If I ask you to list a few Summer Olympian’s names, you will answer a lot of them – Michael Phelps, Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz, Jesse Owens, and Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake but it will be an uphill task to even name one Winter Olympian. India, a country of billions who struggle for any kind of medal at Summer Olympics, have already produced an ace at Winter Olympics, Shiva Keshavan who became the first Indian Olympian at the age of 17. Another one is a sprouting star, Aanchal Thakur who represented India in the Winter Olympics in Insburg. Today Aanchal is exactly where Keshavan started his career at the age of 17.
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Shiva Keshavan, THE PIONEER
Shiva Keshavan
Despite being a medal winner at the Winter Asian championship, the four-time Winter Olympian is still strugling to earn recognition in a country where every sport besides bat-ball is sadly undervalued. Shiva became the first Indian Olympian at the age of 16 years, when he represented in the event of Luge. His biggest achievement includes winning a gold medal in the 2011 Asian Cup and making an Asian record of 134.3 km/h. Keshavan refused an offer to represent Italy (because of his Italian ancestry) claiming that he was an Indian and wanted to wanted to contribute to the country where he was born.He is still in the pursuit for the recognition of his sport and efforts for the nation. He is still chasing the fame he deserves for being India’s first Winter Olympian.
Aanchal Thakur, RISING ICON
Aanchal Thakur
Aanchal Thakur, represented India in the Youth Winter Olympics in Insburg. The athlete who is still in her adolescence astonishingly finished 23rd in the games. Thakur was born on 28th August 1996 in a village called Burwa (located in the hills of Manali).Thakur told that her father was the one who taught her skiing, “He then bought me skis from Japan. Both me and my sister practised on local ski slopes near home and participated in various club competitions. I owe it all to my father, an adventure sport promoter who trained me and opened a world of opportunities for me,” Aanchal will now be eyeing to earn the country it’s first medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics Games in Sochi.
Keshavan has appealed for the infrastructural development needed to excel in such sports numerous times. If we don’t change our perspective and start giving appraisal to such athletes, it would be a pity! The authorities have to build on the base provided by Shiva Keshavan, so that other athletes like Aanchal Thakur can come up to the podium. We don’t know how far is are we from our first medal but I would like to add something valuable for the two, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. – Hellen Keller”
