International Women’s Day: ‘Snow queen’ from Manali puts India on skiing map
Anchal Thakur makes mark in winter sports despite limited resources and infrastructure in the country
Born in 1996 in the picturesque town of Manali, Anchal Thakur has emerged as one of India’s most inspiring winter athletes.
Known as the first Indian woman skier to win an international medal, Anchal’s journey reflects determination, resilience and an unwavering passion for the sport despite limited resources and infrastructure in the country.
Anchal’s love for skiing began at the age of five at Solang village near Manali. Her earliest skis were not professional equipment, but simple ones made from walnut wood. Coming from a family deeply involved in skiing, she found strong support at home. Her father Roshan Thakur, a former national-level champion, and brother Himanshu Thakur, an Olympian skier, played a key role in guiding and motivating Anchal during her formative years.
Starting skiing as a childhood activity, Anchal took it up seriously at the age of 13 after witnessing the advanced training systems available abroad. She realised that Indian athletes lacked the facilities and infrastructure enjoyed by European competitors. Passion and hard work would be needed to bridge the gap, she felt.
Financial challenges remained one of the biggest obstacles in her career. Skiing is an expensive sport, with professional training in Europe costing up to Rs 20 lakh per month. With limited government support and the Winter Games Federation of India lacking official recognition for several years, Anchal’s family had to rely on personal savings and loans to finance her training in countries like Austria and Italy.
Even basic equipment cost several lakhs, while limited funds meant she could train on snow for barely two months a year compared to European athletes, who train for the most part of the year.
Despite the hardships, Anchal maintained a strict training routine, spending hours skiing and focusing on endurance and strength conditioning. Her perseverance paid off in 2018 when she won a historic bronze medal at the Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup in Turkey, becoming the first Indian to secure a podium finish at an International ski federation event. She repeated the feat with another bronze in Montenegro in 2021.
In 2022, Anchal added another milestone to her journey by winning four silver medals at the UAE Alpine Slalom Championships, becoming the first Indian to achieve the feat in international skiing and qualifying for the 2023 World Championships.
Presently, she is employed as instructor in Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali.
With her sights now set at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Anchal continues to inspire young athletes across the country with her remarkable journey from the slopes of Solang to the international stage.
