Kashmir I March 12, 2025 – Tara Prasad, an Indian-American figure skater, is steadily carving a path toward international stardom, and her journey is now catching the attention of prominent figures in India. On Tuesday, industrialist Anand Mahindra took to social media to spotlight her inspiring story, praising her resilience and ambition to represent India on the global stage.
“I hadn’t heard about Tara Prasad’s accomplishments till a friend recently sent me this clip,” Mahindra wrote in a post on X. “Apparently Tara switched her U.S. citizenship to an Indian one in 2019 and has since been our national skating champ three times. Well done, Tara. I hope you are in the vanguard of athletes who give India a noticeable presence in winter sports.”
Born on February 24, 2000, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Indian immigrant parents from Tamil Nadu, Tara made the bold decision to renounce her U.S. citizenship in 2019 to compete for India. Since then, she has dominated the Indian figure skating scene, clinching the national championship title in 2022, 2023, and 2025. Her achievements extend beyond national borders, with silver medals at the 2024 Reykjavik International and 2024 Skate Celje, marking her as India’s first medalist in a senior international figure skating competition.
Tara’s journey has not been without challenges. During the 2022-2023 season, she battled two ankle sprains and a back injury that sidelined her for four months. Yet, her determination shone through as she returned to competition, finishing 14th at the 2023 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Colorado Springs. More recently, she placed 16th at the 2025 Four Continents Championships in Seoul and earned an impressive eighth-place finish at the Asian Winter Games 2025 in Harbin, China.
Her ultimate goal? To become the first Indian figure skater to qualify for the Winter Olympics, a dream she narrowly missed for the 2022 Beijing Games. Now, with her sights set on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy, Tara is determined to make history. “I have now understood the qualification process really well,” she told Olympics.com in 2023. “So as long as I keep focusing on that and trying my best in every competition, I can only look at what elements I have to execute to get to Milano-Cortina 2026.”
Mahindra’s post echoed this sentiment, noting her near-miss at the last Winter Olympics and expressing hope for her future success. “I know you narrowly missed out on a spot in the last Winter Olympics but have your sights set on the games in ‘26. We’ll all be rooting for you….Go chase that dream,” he wrote.
Training primarily in Colorado Springs under coach Stephanie Ordaz Kuban, Tara has also taken on the role of choreographing her own routines, a skill that has won her admiration from fans and peers alike. Her performances, such as her free skate to Padmaavat at the 2023 Four Continents Championships, showcase her artistry and technical prowess—qualities she hopes will elevate India’s presence in a sport that remains on the fringes of the country’s cricket-dominated landscape.
“When I travel in India with my skates, sometimes the customs people will be like, ‘What is this weapon? Is this a knife?’” Tara shared in a 2021 interview with Olympics.com. “They just don’t know, and it’s not their fault. They haven’t been exposed to it. I think if Indian skaters start having more successes outside of India, then not only the population but the government will take notice.”
With growing support from figures like Mahindra and a nation beginning to take note, Tara Prasad’s pursuit of Olympic glory could mark a turning point for winter sports in India. As she continues to chase her dream, the 25-year-old skater is proving that talent, perseverance, and a deep connection to her roots can put India on the ice—and perhaps, one day, on the Olympic podium.