{"id":3703,"date":"2023-07-28T08:24:15","date_gmt":"2023-07-28T08:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1finance.co.in\/magazine\/?post_type=blog&p=3703"},"modified":"2025-08-02T12:45:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-02T07:15:20","slug":"one-on-one-with-a-ski-guide","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/1finance.co.in\/1f-dashboard\/blog\/one-on-one-with-a-ski-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"One on One with a Ski Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mushtaq Ahmad Magray has been taking to the snowy slopes of Gulmarg \u2014 India\u2019s ski capital \u2014 for nearly three decades now. He is one of Gulmarg\u2019s most trusted and seasoned ski guides.<\/span> In 1997, when there were hardly any ski instructors in the valley, he decided to make a career out of his passion for the sport. For One on One \u2014\u00a0our series of leisurely interviews with people building fascinating careers that are far from traditional 9-to-5 jobs \u2014\u00a0we speak to him about what it takes to build a lasting career purely out of passion and talent.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This\u00a0conversation took place in October 2022. It\u00a0was conducted in Hindi over the phone, and has\u00a0been\u00a0translated and edited\u00a0for\u00a0clarity\u00a0and\u00a0length.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Do you remember the first time you took to the slopes? What are your early memories of skiing?<\/h2>\n

I started skiing when I was around eight years old and lived in Tangmarg, a town about 15km away from Gulmarg. My first memory of skiing is quite funny because, back then, there was no ski community here, so we wouldn\u2019t get the right clothes. My friend and I purchased a pair of salopettes that we would take turns wearing. That\u2019s a memorable time for me. Later, in 1996 \u2014 when I was around 16 years of age \u2014 the circumstances in Kashmir were not favourable. A friend of mine, who owned a small <\/span>dhaba<\/span><\/i> in Gulmarg, would go skiing there, and asked me to come along. I was afraid to go \u2014 at the time, the roads were one-way and we would have to walk back; very few people used to go there. I refused, but he said, \u201cLet\u2019s try it.\u201d The first time I wore a pair of skis, I realised that it was a lot of fun. In 1997, you can say I fought with my family; they were not in favour of these things, but I insisted on doing it. I completed my basic course that year and ranked first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Was becoming a ski instructor your first job?<\/h2>\n

When I was young, schools were shut for the most part. I don\u2019t remember much except that I was making carpets from 7 in the morning to 8 in the evening, and earning <\/span>\u20b9<\/span>20 a day. It\u2019s hard to think of that time \u2014\u00a0I don\u2019t think I knew what childhood was; I never played with children my age. So, when my friend took me to the ski field, encouraged me and taught me a bit, I felt free \u2014 I stopped making carpets and got an education.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div>\n

You\u2019ve been a ski guide for over 20 years now. What does a typical day of work look like for you? And how much do you earn in a day?<\/h2>\n

I start by warming up on the slopes by 9 am. We send a car to the hotel to pick up clients and bring them to the slopes. Around 9:30 am onwards, we start skiing for about an hour-and-a-half, give lessons and do practicals, followed by a tea break for 5\u201310 minutes. We break for lunch from 1 pm to 1:30 pm and then the skiing starts again. Around 4:30\u20135 pm, we end the day. An instructor charges <\/span>\u20b9<\/span>3,500 rupees for a class with at least three to four people. A guide charges <\/span>\u20b96,000 for a group of four.<\/span> When the pandemic hit, we thought everything would be over and that we wouldn\u2019t be able to earn a living, but then a lot of domestic tourists started to come. Over the past few years, we\u2019ve worked with them throughout the day, from 10 am to 5 pm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How often do you practise?<\/h2>\n

As ski guides, we only practise high up in the mountains. Once you learn to ski, you will not want to take the skis off \u2014 you\u2019ll want to continue all night. It\u2019s an addiction. I need to practise a lot \u2014 for however long there is snow in Gulmarg. The season is limited to a few months here, so we ski almost every day.\u00a0We take a day off to rest only once or twice a month.<\/span><\/p>\n

What keeps you busy the rest of the year?<\/h2>\n

The ski season typically starts around the 15th of December and goes on till the 15th of April. The people who come to ski love nature, and they come in the summers again to trek \u2014 so we go trekking, camping, biking from Kashmir to Ladakh. Throughout the year, we remain busy with tourists. I also have a business of selling apples, although this year, there are no apples here.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div>\n

Is there a specific memory from guiding that\u2019s stuck with you over the years?<\/h2>\n

When I used to ski with foreigners, I had a client who put on a helmet and came skiing with me \u2014 he was the [South African] cricketer Jonty Rhodes. When I recognised him, he denied it at first, but later admitted it. It was great \u2014 I was with him for five or six days. He came back the following year and told me that he wanted to ski with me again \u2014 we still share a good friendship.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you been in a situation where you have had to conduct a rescue operation during an emergency?<\/h2>\n

Yes, accidents can happen anywhere. It\u2019s a part of the sport. I\u2019ve done a course with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, so I usually know the stability of the snow because we measure it every day. We do column tests, and then decide what elevation to go to. Only guides can decide this. When we\u2019re unsure, two of us go to ski on a small slope on the mountain, and add some pressure \u2014 if the snow slides, there\u2019s a threat of an avalanche, and if it doesn\u2019t, we\u2019re safe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How did you go about aligning your interest in skiing with your financial goals?<\/h2>\n

I feel proud that I chose this sport \u2014 I call it a \u2018holiday job\u2019. It\u2019s what I always wanted \u2014 I love skiing and I love the mountains. I enjoy what I do and I\u2019m earning too. I belong to a middle-class family, so we don\u2019t have savings \u2014 we spend what we earn. In that sense, one of my children goes to a private school and two of them go to a government school. I\u2019m able to provide for their desires, I\u2019m taking care of my parents, I\u2019ve also built a home, and I have a small car. So, it\u2019s very good. I\u2019m satisfied. Skiing fulfils all my needs. In fact, my younger daughter represented India in kickboxing when she was eight years old and won an international gold and bronze medal. This is all because of skiing \u2014 I was able to earn and give a good education to the kids.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div>\n

That\u2019s great! How much can someone working in this space expect to earn?<\/h2>\n

Ski instructors, who mostly teach freshers, can earn \u20b9<\/span>1,000 in a day \u2014 so that\u2019s <\/span>\u20b9<\/span>30,000 in a month. But, for that, hard work is required. They have to learn first, and only after that, they can earn. They cannot give up. They should also love it and have a desire to do it \u2014 half the people who come are afraid of the snow, but if they have the passion to make this their profession, they can start earning <\/span>\u20b9<\/span>30,000 even in their first year of becoming an instructor. I am a ski guide \u2014 we take professionals to no-man\u2019s land, and sometimes take people heliskiing, which involves going up in helicopters to places that don\u2019t have the facility of a ski lift. Our rates are higher \u2014 ski guides can earn between <\/span>\u20b980,000\u201390,000 a month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell us a little bit about what you\u2019re looking forward to and\/or working on next.<\/h2>\n

I want to teach more domestic tourists so that they also come here more often. If I teach 50 people this year, then 100 more will come next year \u2014 and 100 more people here will earn. Whenever they come, whether to learn or for fun, they have the right to check the qualifications of their instructor or guide \u2014 are they government-authorised? Do they have a license from the Department of Tourism? I also plan on opening a ski school here. It will be called the Gulmarg Ski Club. I will provide certificates to freshers who do their basic and intermediate training here. Right now, my focus is to educate people, with guidance about snow safety, route selection and radio communication. I want to teach this to the new generation that\u2019s coming into this field to learn skiing. Earlier, the only people who would enjoy here were foreigners, and a few from Gulmarg. Now, so many more are coming \u2014\u00a0I want the community to grow further. That would be good for everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mushtaq Ahmad Magray\u2019s MoneySign\u00ae is Enlightened Whale. Discover yours here.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mushtaq Ahmad Magray has been taking to the snowy slopes of Gulmarg \u2014 India\u2019s ski capital \u2014 for nearly three decades now. He is one of Gulmarg\u2019s most trusted and seasoned ski guides. In 1997, when there were hardly any ski instructors in the valley, he decided to make a career out of his passion […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2491,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_updated_date":""},"blog-category":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOne on One with a Ski Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore insightful articles on finance, investments, and money management on our blog. 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