Skiing in India

If you long to feel chilly wind whistle past when gliding down acres of pristine white, in a landscape that showcases the beauty of the Himalayas, here’s a peek into a few wonderful skiing locations in India. So why not combine that trip back home with a holiday and enjoy some fun on slopes where the beauty of the surrounds compliments this exciting and somewhat exhausting sport. These resorts may lack the sophisticated modernity of the Alps, but this is an essential part of their charm. And the skiing experience is simply heavenly, whether you’re an afficionado or simply aspiring to be one.

Set in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Gulmarg has been popular since the days of the British Raj, and not just as a cool getaway from the summers of the south. Skiing in Gulmarg is a heady experience thanks to its pristine slopes, very reasonable costs and of course, now that the French firm of Pomagalski has just completed the world’s highest Gondola lift, its charm is irresistible to the serious skier.

The main ski season starts in January and ends in mid-April but it is possible to ski from the beginning of December to the end of May in certain sections. There are no manmade runs, no trees have been cut or pistes gouged out of rock. It is simply nature at its undressed best, with man challenging the elements. However, Gulmarg’s twenty strong ski patrol is trained to be adept at powder skiing, first aid and avalanche rescue.

Set in Uttarakhand at an altitude of 2915 mts-3049 mts, this pristine locale is no longer a well-hidden secret from the skiing fraternity. International skiers have been known to find it irresistible, as its untamed slopes and chilly beauty pose a challenge to their skills. Auli has recently come into the spotlight as a tourist destination, after the creation of Uttarakhand as a separate state. A journey to Auli’s slopes has something for everyone, from novice skiers to professionals, and for those simply sightseeing or trekking, the panoramic view of the Himalayas is unpredictable at times.

Auli can be reached by flying into Dehradun, and driving up to the resort. The nearest international airport is in Delhi.

Natural Narkanda

Narkanda enjoys the honour as one of India’s oldest ski resorts, being located at an altitude of about 2,708 meters (9,000 trekking can take you exploring a range of lakes and temples, in this spectacular gem hidden in the heart of the Himachal. Narkhanda offers a fascinating view of the Himalayan snow ranges and its verdant green forests are stunningly beautiful.

Located about 92 kms from Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, this enchanting little hillstation was discovered in 1854. It has a Himalayan nature park and offers a range of skiing, hiking and trekking activities. Kufri’s slopes attract tobogganing and skiing enthusiasts, as the range includes a beginner’s run, an advanced slope and slalom run. Himachal Tourism offers ski courses, instruction and has equipment on hire at Kufri. Just above Kufri sits the Mahasu ridge, which also has some good slopes. The skiing season is between November to February, which is also peak tourist season.

Kufri is just 19 kms away from Shimla, which has rail and airport access as well. To get to Kufri, one has to hire taxis or take a bus.

absolutely breathtaking.

The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited (GMVNL) run by the government is responsible for maintaining this resort and they do a good job. Auli also has Asia’s longest cable car running a span of 4 kms, in addition to a chair lift and skil lift.

The best time to ski at Auli is from the end of January till the beginning of March, although the weather can be quite capped corner is via the National Highway 22, as it sits 64 kms from Shimla. Buses and taxis can get you there too, but the nearest railway station or airport is at Shimla.

In the winter months from January to early March the ski slopes offer enticing sport, but this location isn’t as popular with international skiers, simply because it still remains largely unknown within the international skiing fraternity. However,

This valley sits at the top of the Kulu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, 14 km northwest of the resort town of Manali on the way to Rohtang Pass. It is wellknown for this summer and winter sports, including parachuting, paragliding, skating and zorbing. Ski agencies offering courses and equipment operate only during the winter season, and the slopes are a skier’s delight. The best time to visit Solang Nala is from early-December to end-March.

Ten top scholars from India will be awarded $90,000 each to pursue PhD programs at nine universities in the state of Victoria, starting in 2012 under the new Victoria India Doctoral Scholarships Program launched today by the State Government of Victoria and the Australia India Institute recently.

The initiative is one of a number of strategic engagement opportunities launched by the Victorian Government to strengthen relations between Victoria and India.

Victoria’s nine universities have all agreed to provide a full tuition waiver. The ten new scholarships, providing $90,000 over the duration of doctoral studies for each PhD scholar, will support living costs and education-related travel.

The new scholarships were launched in June at Australia’s High Commission in New Delhi by the Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese AO and Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, Director of the Australia India Institute, Melbourne, together with Victoria’s Commissioner to India, Geoffrey Conaghan.

“The scholarships will contribute to global knowledge and help build a closer partnership between India and Australia,” said Louise Asher the State of Victoria’s Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business and Minister for Tourism and Major Events.

“Victoria attracts quality students from around the world because of its strong infrastructure and internationally-known researchers and teachers. We believe the Victoria India Doctoral Scholarships will generate a huge amount of interest because Victoria offers a premium international education experience,” said Minister Asher.

“This generous scholarship is a great opportunity for some of India’s smartest researchers to pursue their doctoral studies at Victoria’s universities,” said Peter Varghese, Australia’s High Commissioner to India.

“The academic communities of India and

Australia are working more closely together than ever before and I congratulate the Victorian Government and the Australia India Institute on this important new initiative”, said Mr Varghese.

Speaking at the launch in New Delhi, Prof. Amitabh Mattoo said, “This is a singularly important step by the Victorian Government to build a real partnership with India. Research students from India will not just get access to some of the finest institutions in the world but also the opportunity to stay in one of the world’s most liveable, multicultural communities”.

Students from India can apply to Victoria’s universities to do their PhD at: Deakin University, La Trobe University, Monash University, RMIT University, Swinburne University, Australian Catholic University, The University of Melbourne, University of Ballarat and Victoria University

The doctoral opportunities exist across science, engineering, medicine, the social sciences and humanities, business studies, education and the arts.

The educational institutions in the state of Victoria already have mutually beneficial, collaborative research links with Indian institutions and industry, and the new scholarships program will continue to build on these links.

More information on the Victorian Government’s Victoria India Doctoral Scholarships Program can be found at www. studymelbourne.vic.gov.au/scholarships

For the first time ever, the Australian High Commission in New Delhi has passed 100,000 visitor and temporary entry visas in a program year. The 100,000th visa for the 2010-2011 program year was issued in late May in New Delhi.

This milestone underlines the fast expanding linkages between India and Australia in tourism and business.

The figure includes 19 different types of visa, including tourist and business visas.

Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese, said, “One hundred thousand visitor visas shows how fast the bilateral relationship between Australia and India is growing. More Indians are travelling to Australia for business, tourism and to study at our universities. And a growing number of travellers are reconnecting with family members in Australia.”

The visitor visa application rate has increased by 17% this year and over 50% of visitor visa applicants were family members of Indian permanent residents or Australian citizens of Indian origin.

The business short stay visa application rate has increased by 15% this year, and will continue to grow as India-Australia economic and trade relations also grow.

Two-way trade between India and Australia has been growing at about 20% year on year for the past five years. In 2010 two-way trade was approximately A$22 billion driven by the strong complementarities between the two economies. Reflecting this dynamism on 12 May Australia and India agreed to launch negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (or FTA).

High Commissioner Varghese said, “All these are very healthy signs of the growing partnership between our countries and people. Quite simply, Australia and India are rapidly becoming more important to each other.”

Top scientists will benefit from a multimillion dollar program that could lead to better vaccines, more temperature tolerant crops, healthier foods and greater protection for our marine systems.

18 collaborative projects involving Australian and Indian scientists have been awarded AU$5 million under the AustraliaIndia Strategic Research Fund, with matching funding provided by the Government of

The fund is a joint initiative of the Australian and Indian governments. It is Australia’s largest bilateral research fund, providing AU$65 million over eight years.

Australian Innovation Minister, Senator Kim Carr said, “India is a strong research nation in its own right and a rising scientific power. Both countries have much to gain from collaboration in science and technology.”

“This funding will enable leading Australian and Indian scientists to combine their unique strengths and tackle big issues facing communities in Australia and India –such as growing healthy crops and protecting precious groundwater environments.”

Grants have been awarded to a total of 12 different Australian universities and research institutions including James Cook University, CSIRO, the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, the Australian National University, Melbourne University, the University of Western Australia and the University of Queensland.

Grants have also been awarded to a total of 14 Indian collaborating partner institutions including the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Raman Research Institute and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

Projects to be supported under Round 5 of the fund include:

• development of a novel class of anticancer agents targeting the immune system;

• design of malaria vaccines;

• developing methods for the production of omega-3 concentrates for functional foods, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals;

• improving high-temperature tolerance in crop plants; and

• advancing our ability to predict plant distributions under changed climates. Other projects supported by the fund are in nanotechnology, marine and earth sciences, biomedical devices and implants, and stem cells.