Tara Prasad, a 25-year-old figure skater born in Cedar Rapids, USA, skated her way into national and international recognition with silver medals in Iceland and Slovenia last year.
What began as a childhood pastime at the age of 7 has become her identity, her profession, and her statement of intent on the global sporting stage.
At age 13, she decided to start training seriously while learning double jumps and by 21 she won the Indian national title.
The supple athlete then completed her first senior international season which included competing at her first ISU championship at the 2022 Four Continents Championship in Tallinn, Estonia.
Tara didn't stumble into skating; she inherited a competitive spirit. Her mother Kavitha Prasad once trained alongside sprint queen P T Usha at an Asian Games camp in 1990.
Kavitha believes her daughter's mental resilience and creativity are at the heart of her success. 'If Tara decides to do something, she makes it happen,' she said.
Those traits, combined with technical skill, have helped Tara rise in a niche sport that demands unwavering discipline.
It wasn't until returning to India that Tara's relationship with the sport shifted from casual to committed. In 2019, she gave up her American passport and became an Indian citizen. She even took a break from skating to focus on her education.
That break, she says, gave her clarity. 'The change was because I wanted to settle in India for good. I had no intention of getting on Team USA either. Skating was just something I did for fun. It was only after I took a long sabbatical and came back to skating that I considered pursuing it seriously. By then, I already had an Indian passport.'
Since her senior international debut for India in 2020 at the Polish Mentor Torun Cup, Tara has competed in 20 tournaments worldwide. Domestically, she has won national titles in 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2024/25.
Internationally, her performances at the Reykjavik Games in Iceland and Skate Celje in Slovenia earned her silver medals, while another Skate Celje appearance added bronze to her growing list of achievements.
Her skills have impressed Indian skating authorities. Jugraj Singh Sahney, secretary of the Ice Skating Association of India, called her the 'best India has ever had', adding, 'The quality of her jumps and turns makes her untouchable.'
Tara is coached by Stephanie Ordaz Kuban and trains primarily in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She choreographs herself.
Tara's performances are less dance-themed and more storytelling and has beautifully amalgamated Bollywood into her routines. According to a reddit user cute_helicopter 2406, In 2022, Tara choreographed a routine using the soundtrack of the Deepika Padukone starrer Padmaavat.
'Whether she hits the elements or not she brings 200 percent energy and performance. Her costume is designed herself and incorporates actual traditional fabric from India.'
Like many elite athletes, Tara has faced setbacks. A back injury forced her to withdraw from the qualifying rounds for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
'It was a difficult decision but I have withdrawn from the Olympic qualifying event. I was looking forward to showing my improvement in skating regardless of the result, but I had a major setback this year with back pain,' Tara noted on her Instagram story.
'I have decided with my coaches and health professionals to withdraw so that I can skate safely in the future. Thank you to my federation for all the opportunities that I have been given and I will recover and be back soon. Things happen in life but we will stay positive!!'
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