Written by Mimansha Ojha Once a recreational pastime, roller skating is now thriving as a competitive sport in the country, and Pune is at the centre of it. Speaking with The Indian Express, owner of Fast & Furious Academy, Shekhar Thorat said, “Skaters from many cities in Maharashtra and even outside are coming to Pune for practice. Pune has become the hub for skaters.” “The increase in participation from Pune alone in the past five years is a lot,” said Shripad Shinde, the coach of the Indian national team and the president of Pune Skating Association. He pointed out that India is climbing fast in global rankings. “We’re already in the top three in Asia and among the top ten in the world. We’ve got skaters who’ve brought home silver and bronze from the Asian Championships and a few juniors who’ve even won medals at the world level.” “Pune is one of the very few cities in India to have not one, but three full-length, Olympic-level skating rinks,” says Ashok Gunjal, the secretary of the Skating Association of Pune. The Skating Association of Pune also hosts regular competitions. “On average, once a month, we organize a race at the local level,” he said. Recently there was a district-level championship held on April 13 to mark Ambedkar Jayanti, with another Open Skate Championship scheduled for April 29 and 30 in Viman Nagar. “Viman Nagar skating rink, which is the main skating rink in Pune, which Gunjal built, is where all the big skating events happen,” said Vishal Desai, owner of Panther Skating. This is an international-level skating rink regarded as one of the best rinks built in India. The city’s success isn’t just in infrastructure. “There are 2-3 skaters I can immediately name, Vikram Ingle and Siddhant Kamble, both Asian medalists, with good world rankings,” Gunjal said. Both are students of Shinde. Ingle, captain of the Indian skating team, said, "Our team is growing every year. Maharashtra, followed closely by Tamil Nadu, has some of the best speed skaters in the country." Ingle and Kamble, both skaters who started their skating journey in Pune, are the top skaters in India at the moment. “Nearly 80 percent of the skaters in team Maharashtra are from Pune,” said Kamble, who is currently in Frankfurt representing India in the European Cup. Although he recalled that the number of participants from Pune is faltering these days. “Despite these achievements, there are challenges,” he said. Everything, these kids and parents, they have to spend on their own,” he said. Events are primarily funded through entry fees, and sponsorship remains sparse. “We’re hoping for more Olympic recognition. Skateboarding was included in Tokyo 2020. Once more roller sports become part of the official Olympic roster, we'll see funding, visibility, and maybe even mainstream sponsors come in.” On the contrary, Shinde explained, “There is support. All international-level rinks in Pune are built by PMC. Right now, we have three tracks. I don't think any other city has this quantity of tracks built by a local corporation. We definitely have support, of course, there would be limitations due to budgeting.” Pune is also beginning to see interest in adjacent disciplines like artistic skating, skateboarding, and inline hockey. “There are specific teams dedicated to one discipline like the one at Seva Sadan School that train regularly in artistic skating alone," Shinde said. Participation of young girls in the sport has increased according to the Skating Association and various academies throughout Pune. “Girls are coming in good numbers, till 14–16 years, we have a good number of girls and boys,” he said. Inline skating now dominates over quads due to its international scope. “Quad skates go up to the national zone only. If a child wants to go international, they will have to have inline skates,” he said. India is one of the few countries where both are still allowed to compete. Inlines are faster, about 35% more efficient, but quads help with balance and learning the basics. “Parents have a crucial role in choosing the right coach. They must verify the coach’s background, qualifications, and experience before enrolling their children. It's important to ensure that coaching is rooted in proper technique, sports science, and ethical practices,” said Shinde.
