Once shunned, skate now catches fancy of youths

Kathmandu - Sandip Shah Thakuri, an 11th grader at the Grameen College, Koteshwar spends two hours daily practicing skating. 
Sandip dashes to the International Sports Complex at Satdobato after 2 pm every day for skating which is his passion. He sees his future in skating. 
"I was drawn to this game when I was still a child seeing my older brother skating. In the beginning dad and mum used to shout at not to skate. Now they understand after I started winning prizes in various competitions later on," he shared about his parents' outlook towards his passion in the beginning. He has won prizes in the various skating competitions held in the country in India. 
Same is the infatuation of Gajendra Bardewa towards skating. Bardewa who studies in Class 11 at Glacier College also practices skating two hours daily. 
It's not only Sandip and Gajendra who are drawn into skating. Most of the college-goers and youths are attracted to skating in Kathmandu in recent times. 
Skating has caught the fancy of Nepali youths these days and more and more youths are taking to this adventure sports. 
Jagrit Pahadi, the president of an organisation called Youth for Change, said that the new generation people have started showing interest towards skate with the development of a positive outlook towards the game of late. 
Youth for Change was instituted in 2013 with the goal of promoting skate as a sports and encouraging youths towards this game. The organisation has been organising seminars, competitions and awareness raising programmes at schools and colleges in various districts since its inception. 
"Until some years back skate used to be seen in Nepal as the sports of youths who are into substance abuse or who are wayward. But gradually this outlook is changing and many youths are attracted to it," Pahadi said. His organisation has the objective of producing national and international level skaters. 
The government has also constituted Nepal Skating and Skate Association for promoting this game. 
The Youth for Change is also planning to construct an indoor skate park and resource centre in Rupandehi district for promoting skating. 
Skate instructor Manoj Pandey is encouraged by the growing attraction of youths towards skating. "This is really a positive development," he said.