New Delhi

Social Media is loving the image of  skier Arif Khan holding the tricolour and leading the Indian squad at the openining ceremony at the Beijing winter Olympics as the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his ministerial colleagues sat in the audiences gallery.

Arif,31, from Gulmarg, Kashmir, is the only Indian athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympics where he is participating in two events of Alpine skiing– Slalom and the Giant Slalom.

Rockstar Indian athlete Arif Khan at the Olympic Opening Ceremony! #Chakde #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/WbRxGVaAna

— Prakhar Khanduja (@prakharkhanduja) February 4, 2022

Proud moment for India! Arif Khan from Indian Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir representing 🇮🇳 at #Beijing2022WinterOlympics opening ceremony. Arif is an Alpine skier from Kashmir who will contest in Slalom and Giant Slalom events. From Kashmir to Olympics! pic.twitter.com/UJxBH0lI3h

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) February 4, 2022

Kashmiri sportsperson from #India holding the tricolour high representing the nation in China in front of Imran Khan and Xi Jinping is a strong message in itself. We don’t mix politics with sports. We believe in sportsmanship. CCP uses even sports for failed Psy ops.

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) February 4, 2022

A kashmiri sports person holding Nation Flag with pride!!

Hope the world got the message that Kashmir is an integral part of India and there is no discrimination with Kashmiris..

Jai Hind🇮🇳🙏

— Nighat Abbas (@Nighat_Abbass) February 4, 2022

A proud moment to see Arif Khan from Jammu & Kashmir unfurl our national flag 🇮🇳 at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. He is the only Indian athlete competing at the Winter Olympics 2022. Best of luck Arif! #India #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/UqttCbNmzM

— Vikramaditya Singh (@vikramaditya_JK) February 4, 2022

Arif Khan from J&K representing India 🇮🇳 at #Beijing2022WinterOlympics opening ceremony. An Alpine skier from Kashmir Arif had previously competed at the 2017 Asian Winter Games held in Sapporo. Proud moment! pic.twitter.com/LRRMrT19k2

— Tahir Ashraf (@Tahir_A) February 4, 2022

Indian Alpine skier Mohammad Arif Khan held the tiranga high during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games #Beijing2022. A resident of Kashmir, the proud Indian is the first-ever Indian athlete to qualify for two different events of the Winter Games. All the best, Arif! pic.twitter.com/mZgv3ODeUl

— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) February 5, 2022

Though the India’s ambassador to Beijing was instructed at the last minute not to participate in the opening and the closing ceremony after China revealed that one of the PLA officers, injured in the Galwan valley face off in July 2000, was the torchbearer of the Olympic torch.