SOARING HIGH ON SNOW!

TN BHAVANI created history as India's first woman skiing medallist. She speaks to Kayal Arivalan about her journey and the dreams driving her forward

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When Thekkada Nanjunda Bhavani crossed the finish line at the FIS South America Cup in Chile last September, she had no idea she had just made history. Competing in the women's 5km interval start free race, the Kodagu-born athlete became the first Indian woman to win a medal at a FIS-accredited cross-country skiing event. For a youngster who had not seen snow while growing up, the journey from coffee farms in Karnataka to conquering ice-clad slopes across the world has been a remarkable journey.

Bhavani traces it all back to a film. "My journey began when I watched the movie