India, Dec. 5 -- The ice skating season officially opened in the chilly morning hours on Thursday in Shimla, home to Asia's largest natural ice skating rink. The rink was quality tested on Wednesday by skating veterans and a few tourists. As the weather was deemed conducive, ice skating, which is a major attraction here, began during the day, said Rajat Malhotra, the secretary of Shimla Ice Skating Club.
Morning sessions would be held from 8 am to 10 am, depending on the quality of the ice. Evening sessions would soon begin in the days to come, he said. Malhotra said the winter carnival and annual gymkhana (competitions) would be organised in December and January, respectively.
In the past few years, skating activities began in the second...