BSSA meets PT Usha to chart roadmap for winter sports in India

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Winter sports body seeks stronger talent identification and global exposure for Indian athletes

New Delhi, September 7

The development of winter sports in India received a fresh push with senior office-bearers of the Bharatiya Ski and Snowboard Association (BSSA) meeting Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President and Olympian P.T. Usha at the IOA Headquarters in New Delhi on Monday.

The meeting focused on some of the key challenges and opportunities before Indian skiing and snowboarding, including athlete development, talent identification, expansion of winter sports and creating a stronger pathway for Indian athletes to compete at the international level.

BSSA also used the meeting to present its newly launched official website and brief Usha about its organisational structure, ongoing programmes and plans for taking winter sports to more parts of the country. At the heart of the discussion was the need to build a sustainable athlete development system.

BSSA outlined its proposed Athlete Development Programme, which seeks to identify promising talent from across India and provide young athletes with a structured pathway from the grassroots to national and international competition.

The association’s approach goes beyond simply identifying talented athletes. It envisages a system that includes transparent selection, quality coaching, structured training, regular national competition, international exposure and long-term preparation for major sporting events.

For a country where winter sports remain relatively niche compared with traditional Olympic disciplines, developing such an ecosystem could be crucial to producing athletes capable of competing consistently on the international stage.

BSSA also briefed Usha about its forthcoming participation in important meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, under the aegis of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). The discussions are expected to form part of the association’s broader international strategy to strengthen India’s engagement with the global skiing and snowboarding community.

The association shared its plans for greater coordination with international sporting bodies and creating more opportunities for Indian athletes to train and compete abroad. A presentation during the meeting also highlighted BSSA’s progress at the national and international levels and its vision of establishing a stronger global identity for Indian winter sports.

The meeting brought together senior BSSA office-bearers, along with Olympians, international athletes and other representatives of the winter sports community.

Usha, who herself represented India at the highest level in sports, appreciated the initiatives being undertaken by BSSA and wished the association success in its future programmes.

Importantly, she stressed that athletes must remain at the centre of the functioning of any sporting organisation. The organisation should maintain quality training, fair and transparent selection process, proper guidance and regular competitive opportunities for the athletes if they are to realise their potential, said she.

Her emphasis on an athlete-first approach assumes significance as Indian winter sports look to build a stronger competitive base. Beyond infrastructure and international participation, athletes need a system that supports them through the different stages of their careers.

The interaction gave BSSA an opportunity to seek guidance from the country’s apex Olympic sports body as it works on its national expansion and athlete development programmes.

For BSSA, the larger objective is clear: to widen the base of skiing and snowboarding in India, to identify and nurture talent, and create an environment in which Indian winter sport athletes can compete with confidence on the international stage.

The meeting with P.T. Usha marks another step in that direction, with athlete development and a stronger international presence emerging as key pillars of BSSA’s roadmap for the future.