Srinagar: Six specially-abled youth from Jammu and Kashmir undertook two weeks of rigorous skiing training at the Army’s High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) at Gulmarg. The Chinar Corps’ initiative was aimed at providing first hand exposure to specially-abled youth of Kashmir in skiing, with the hope that many more Kashmirs will take up the sport, a Defence Ministry spokesman said. The event was flagged off by General Officer Commanding 31 Sub Area under the aegis of Srinagar-based 15 Corps. Artificial limbs and other special accessories were provided by Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, an NGO from Jaipur. The team completed 14 days basic skiing course from March 12 to 26 under difficult and trying conditions. The team was led by Lt Col Dharamdatt Goel, who himself is a war wounded soldier. His left leg has been amputated. The six Kashmiri members included Gowhar Ahmad Ganaie, Umar Salam, Abdul Rehman Mir, Rafiq, Musaib Rashid and Syeed Nazir. After learning the basic skills, they successfully covered a distance of 250 metres, which seemed impossible on the first day. UNI MJR MR
