Srinagar: Every winter, when Kashmir was draped in a white blanket, a young Zahoor Din Lone would disappear into the snow.
While others prefer to stay indoors, the boy—later known as Zahoor Kashmiri—stood for hours shaping snow into figures born purely of imagination. His hands would turn numb, his clothes soaked. Instead of applause, he was met with scorn, scold, and warnings.
No one knew then that those quiet childhood afternoons would one day place him on a global podium.
Nearly three decades later, under the piercing cold of minus 31 degrees Celsius in Breckenridge, Colorado, Zahoor stood once again before a massive wall of snow. Over four relentless days, he led Team India at the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championship 2026, carving a powerful artwork titled “Corn: The Ultimate Domesticator — Who Is Truly in Control?”
When the results were announced, India clinched the Bronze Medal.
For Zahoor, now 37, the moment was surreal. Alongside him were Suhail Mohammad Khan from Pulwama, Mridul Upadhyay from Uttar Pradesh, and Matt Seeley from the United States—a diverse team united by snow, steel tools, and sleepless nights.
Yet Zahoor’s journey to that icy stage was anything but smooth.
His artistic awakening came not in an art school, but during his service in the Indian Navy (2004–2005). While on duty, he watched a fellow naval artist creating live sketches.
“It reminded me of the same passion I carried as a child,” he recalled.
The realization changed everything. The following year, Zahoor left the Navy and enrolled in Fine Arts at Kashmir University, later earning admission to Jamia Millia Islamia, where he specialised in sculpting and motion graphics.
“This art was no longer a hobby—it was a calling,” he said.
After completing his education, Zahoor returned home and co-founded artistic showcases, most notably at the Gulmarg Snow Fiesta, where he and fellow artists displayed snow sculptures that drew praise and recognition. But Kashmir alone was never the final destination.
“I didn’t want to be known only in Kashmir. I wanted to represent India,” he said.
In 2016, he first heard about the prestigious snow sculpting competition in the United States—but missed the deadline. The setback didn’t deter him. A year later, in 2017, he returned stronger, leading a team that won the Spirit Award. And in 2025, the breakthrough arrived with a Bronze Medal on American soil.
Today, Zahoor stands accomplished—but restless.
“This recognition is a proud moment, but it shouldn’t stop here,” Zahoor said as he believed Kashmir could become a global hub for snow art.
“We have Gulmarg, Sonmarg, and Pahalgam. With the right platforms, we can produce many more teams—artists who can bring medals home.”
He said that if provided the proper platform, Kashmiris can rule the world in snow art. “I am sure we have many talented artists who are not known because of a lack of a platform. We should come forward and support them to bring medals for the country,” Zahoor said.