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imported>Siya Bhutani: /* Early life */

2021-07-11T16:17:45Z

Early life

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{{short description|Indian alpine skier}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}

[[File:Neha Ahuja.jpg|thumb|Neha Ahuja (2006).]]

'''Neha Ahuja'''<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.olympic.org/neha-ahuja |title=Neha AHUJA - Olympic Alpine Skiing | India |date=2016-06-22 |website=International Olympic Committee |language=en |access-date=2019-02-25}}</ref> (born September 27, 1981) is an Indian [[alpine skier]] who represented [[India]] in the [[2006 Winter Olympics]] held in [[Torino, Italy]]. Ahuja was also the [[flag bearer]] in the opening and closing ceremonies. She has achieved several milestones in skiing for India. She is the first Indian woman to have qualified for the [[Winter Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2006/feb/23ahuja.htm |title=Ahuja makes her mark in winter Olympics |last=Baldwin |first=Alan |date=2006-02-23 |website=www.rediff.com |access-date=2019-02-25}}</ref> She is also the first woman to qualify for both the slalom and giant slalom events in the Olympics.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vaildaily.com/news/51st-place-just-fine-with-neha-ahuja/|title=51st place just fine with Neha Ahuja |last=Farnell |first=Shauna |date=2006-02-22 |website=www.vaildaily.com |access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref> Ahuja was one of the four Indians competing at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She placed 51st.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.aspentimes.com/news/sports/51st-place-and-smiling/ |title=51st place and smiling |last=Farnell |first=Shauna |date=2006-02-22 |website=www.aspentimes.com |language=en-US |access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref> Her older sister Shefali Ahuja represented India in the [[1996 Asian Winter Games|3rd Winter Asian games held in Harbin, China]], and her younger sister Swati Ahuja participated in the fourth season of MTV Roadies.

== Early life ==
Ahuja was born in New Delhi to Anita Ahuja (née Wadhwa) and Colonel S.P. Ahuja, an officer in the Indian Border Security force.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://imsports.rediff.com/sports/2006/feb/23ahuja.htm |title=Ahuja makes her mark in winter Olympics |last=Baldwin |first=Alan |date=2006-02-23 |website=www.rediff.com |access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref> Ahuja's father was also the director of winter sports in Gulmarg and was the principal of the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bhatia |first=Surbhi |date=January 2006 |title=Skiing is the limit |location=New Delhi |publisher=Educare }}</ref> At the age of four, Ahuja and her family moved to Kashmir due to her father’s posting, and that was when she first learnt to ski.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vaildaily.com/news/51st-place-just-fine-with-neha-ahuja/|title=51st place just fine with Neha Ahuja |last=Farnell |first=Shauna |date=2006-02-22 |website=www.vaildaily.com |access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref>

In 1994, she participated in a two-week training camp under Otto Santner and Peter Santner at the Thayer Racing Club, Kaprun, Austria, which encouraged her to continue her career as a skier. Soon after, she began training under Kazuo Sato in order to participate in the 1996 Junior Asian Winter Games being held in Japan.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bhatia |first=Surbhi |date=January 2006 |title=Skiing is the limit |location=New Delhi |publisher=Educare }}</ref> At the age of 16, Ahuja moved to Vail, Colorado and trained at the Vail Mountain School for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bhatia |first=Surbhi |date=January 2006 |title=Skiing is the limit |location=New Delhi |publisher=Educare }}</ref> After sustaining a knee injury that year while training, she could not perform physical activity for six months. As a result, she could not participate in the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. A year later, however, she competed in the Winter Asian Games (2003).<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bhatia |first=Surbhi |date=January 2006 |title=Skiing is the limit |location=New Delhi |publisher=Educare }}</ref>

She then trained under Dietmar Thoni at the Bartsch Race Academy, Pitztal, Austria for the 2006 Winter Olympics.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bhatia |first=Surbhi |date=January 2006 |title=Skiing is the limit |location=New Delhi |publisher=Educare }}</ref>

In 1999, she graduated from Air Force Bal Bharti, and in 2003, she graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder. Additionally, she was a competitive swimmer and swam at the Delhi state level. She was also a national level diver.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bhatia |first=Surbhi |date=January 2006 |title=Skiing is the limit |location=New Delhi |publisher=Educare }}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Ahuja has two sons. She currently works as a Strategy Consultant at a major firm. She now plays tennis and skies recreationally.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/community/south-charlotte/article45332463.html|title=Charlotte woman paved way for Indian women in Olympics |last=Tzerman |first=Sheila |date=2005-11-18 |website=www.charlotteobserver.com |access-date=2020-04-04}}</ref>

[[File:Neha Ahuja in 2019.jpg|thumb|Picture of Neha Ahuja taken in 2019.]]

== Indian Winter Olympic Alpine Skiing Results from 1964 to 2006 ==
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417052524/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/IND/winter/ Indian Winter Olympic Alpine Skiing Results] from 1964 to 2006
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Year
! Event
! Athlete
! Age
! Finish
|-
| 1964
| Men's Downhill
| Jeremy Bujakowski
| 24
| AC
|-
| 1968
| Men's Downhill
| Jeremy Bujakowski
| 28
| 53
|-
| 1968
| Men's Slalom
| Jeremy Bujakowski
| 28
| AC+
|-
| 1968
| Men's Giant Slalom
| Jeremy Bujakowski
| 28
| 65
|-
| 1988
| Women's Slalom
| Shailaja Kumar
| 21
| 28
|-
| 1988
| Men's Slalom
| Gul Dev
| 24
| AC
|-
| 1988
| Men's Slalom
| Kishor Rahtna Rai
| 23
| 49
|-
| 1992
| Men's Slalom
| Lal Chuni
| 21
| 61
|-
| 1992
| Men's Slalom
| Nanak Chand
| 20
| 58
|-
| 1992
| Men's Giant Slalom
| Nanak Chand
| 20
| 82
|-
| 1992
| Men's Giant Slalom
| Lal Chuni
| 21
| AC
|-
| 2006
| Men's Giant Slalom
| Hira Lal
| 25
| AC
|-
| 2006
| Women's Slalom
| Neha Ahuja
| 24
| 51
|-
| 2006
| Women's Giant Slalom
| Neha Ahuja
| 24
| 42
|}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310210446/http://www.tahoe.com/article/20060223/OLYMPICS2006/60223001 Tahoe.com news story]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahuja, Neha}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian female alpine skiers]]
[[Category:Alpine skiers at the 2006 Winter Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic alpine skiers of India]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Alpine skiers at the 1999 Asian Winter Games]]
[[Category:Alpine skiers at the 2003 Asian Winter Games]]
[[Category:University of Colorado Boulder alumni]]
[[Category:Skiers from Jammu and Kashmir]]

Neha Ahuja - Revision history

UpdateBot: robot: Update article (please report if you notice any mistake or error in this edit)

imported>Siya Bhutani: /* Early life */