From the slopes of Gulmarg to St. Moritz, Indian snowboarder Zubair Ahmed Lone scaling greater heights
From the slopes of Gulmarg to St. Moritz, Indian snowboarder Zubair Ahmed Lone scaling greater heights
Zubair Ahmad Lone etched his name in Indian winter sports history on March 3, 2025, by securing the nation’s first-ever gold medal in an international FIS Alpine Snowboard GS race in Lebanon.
But within days of that triumph, the 27-year-old was back in the Kongdoori Slopes of Gulmarg, where he started his snowboarding journey, to participate in the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG). With a gold in giant slalom and a silver in slalom, he reaffirmed his credentials as India’s premier alpine snowboarder.
Born in Qazipora Tangmarg in Jammu and Kashmir, snow was more than just a backdrop for Zubair – it was his childhood playground. His father introduced him to skiing when he was three, igniting a lifelong passion. Despite the limited resources – his father, a truck driver, supported a family of six – his love for winter sports flourished.
“Participation in this sport requires substantial capital due to the high cost of equipment. You must have the best equipment to compete against the best,” the 27-year-old tells Sportstar on the sidelines of KIWG 2025.
Despite the difficulties, Zubair has also won five silver medals and a bronze in the FIS circuit this season. FIS is the International Ski Federation, which acts as a governing body for skiing and snowboarding internationally.
He has also bagged a gold, three silver and a bronze in national championships in Lebanon, Greece and North Macedonia. He’s one of only four snowboarders from India, who are active on the FIS circuit.
“It fills me with immense pride to compete in international tournaments. Most people are shocked to know my nationality due to India’s obscurity in winter sports, especially snowboarding. This is what drives me. It motivates me to show them what a guy from India can do,” says Zubair.
As a kid, snowboarding was not on Zubair’s radar, he just wanted to enjoy the thrill of skiing. By 10, Zubair completed his advanced skiing courses in Gulmarg.
One day while walking down from Gulmarg, Zubair saw a snowboarder zigzag down the slopes. Despite his lack of familiarity with the sport, Zubair was utterly captivated. That single glimpse sparked an immediate and intense fascination.
“In India, people are not aware of snowboarding. Skiing on the other hand is more popular, especially among people in the mountains. I started to snowboard on my own and it just grew on me,” Zubair explains.
His first snowboard, a warped and tattered discard from a Gulmarg government sports shop, was far from ideal. Paired with equally worn-out boots that readily surrendered to the snow, it was a humble beginning. Yet, for four years, he mastered its quirks, etching his path in the snow. That very setup carried him to his first podium finish at a local junior competition.
“There was no one to teach me a thing about snowboarding. For years, I practised on my own. I watched YouTube videos to learn,” he says.
Despite the challenges, Zubair took part in his first Junior National Championships in 2014. His subsequent gold medals in slalom and giant slalom at the 2016 Nationals cemented his dedication to the sport.
The lack of proper facilities and coaching were the main roadblocks for Zubair, while he also struggled with finances. To continue in the sport, Zubair started a crowdfunding account in 2022.
In the same year, he received support from SPAN Foundation of New Delhi. He spent an entire winter season at Steamboat Springs in Colorado, training under Dutch coach Thedo Remmelink. However, before he could learn, he had a lot of unlearning to do.
“In India, everybody used to tell me I’m the best. But when my coach saw me on the board for the first time, he told me everything was wrong. It took me some time just to change my body position. For one-and-a-half months in training, I couldn’t complete the course even once,” he explains.
During his time in the USA, Zubair also participated in international competitions for the first time and finished 14th in his third race, which had several Olympians in the fray.
But for Zubair, he knew that one season was not enough. Over the next two seasons. he spent significant time in Canada. For Zubair, the ultimate dream is to become the first Indian snowboarder to participate in a Winter Olympics.
“I’m now competing with international athletes. I’ve improved a lot since my first international race, but I still have a long way to go,” he says with a smile.
Zubair is currently competing in the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarder World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He collected enough ranking points to make the top-32 cut required for the quadrennial Games.
“I’m looking forward to the World Championships. Hopefully, it will be a good learning experience for me,” he says.
The rider reiterated the need for better infrastructure and investment in India for the sport to grow. “It is very difficult for athletes who are competing here to go to the international stage. You need proper training, proper equipment for that kind of snow,” he opines.
He emphasises a significant disparity in snow quality between India and international racing venues. In India, reliance on natural snow results in a watery, slushy consistency under sunlight. Conversely, most overseas venues employ artificial snow, creating a distinctly different racing surface.
“When snow becomes slushy, the race surface becomes super slow. It becomes difficult for the athletes. In international races, you will not face these issues. There you have to be careful about other technical aspects,” he describes.
Zubair is, however, optimistic about the growth of Alpine snowboarders in the country. He has seen a steady growth in the number of participants in local tournaments.
“In this competition (KIWG 2025), I’m struck by the incredible speed of the young athletes, many just 15 or 16. They possess immense potential, and this is a critical developmental stage. With appropriate government support, these athletes can undoubtedly bring future glory to our nation,” concludes Zubair.
Published on Mar 19, 2025
