Gulmarg to Host the Second Edition of Khelo India Winter Games: Big Breaking
The Khelo India concept is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, launched with the twin objectives of mass participation from different tier levels and all-round promotion of excellence in sports. There are different age limit restrictions for the respective game categories, to allow athletes to compete against each other with all fairness and equality.
Under the Khelo India Scheme, a wide array of national level competitions such as the Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India University Games & Khelo India Winter Games have been organized. These verticals have experienced tremendous success in identifying raw talent and providing the participants a world class experience.
So far, 3 editions of the Winter Games have been successfully conducted. The inception of the winter games occurred in 2020 and in the previous four editions held so far 36 union territories and states have registered their presence.
The much-anticipated event not only provides a levelled platform for athletic excellence but also showcases the host region’s rich art, culture and heritage.
What’s interesting to note is these winer games are held in two separate instalments. For this year, the 1st leg of the of the 2025 edition has been completed. It was conducted in Leh from January 23-27, where athletes competed in two ice-based sports, the Ice Hockey & Ice Skating.
The second and final chapter of the winter games is scheduled to take place in four different snow sports. These pertain to Ski Mountaineering, Alpine Skiing, Snowboard & Nordic Skiing. The impending winter games 2025 will be held in the Kangdoori region of the Gulmarg district in Jammu & Kashmir from March 9 to 12, following heavy snowfall over the past few days in the upper altitudes of the Valley.
Earlier slated to be held from February 22 to 25, the games had to be postponed due to lack of sufficient snow at Gulmarg, as the area witnessed one of its driest winters in recent history.
The picturesque locales of Gulmarg will serve not only as a hosting destination for the games but also increase the popularity as a tourist site for citizens to experience and visit. The J&K CM Omar Abdullah unveiled the KIWG 2025 mascot in January, which is the snow leopard to symbolize the region’s rich biodiversity and underlying commitment to conservation.
With the continual efforts of Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, several players from multiple states have exhibited their talent and found a place in the national level squads. These indigenous games allow athletes to cement a place in the top-tier tournaments and propel them towards international sporting careers.
The games act as a crucial stepping-stone for identifying and nurturing grassroots sports talent across India, which in my opinion is the essence of such unique categories. The young athletes and aspiring players come from several Indian states & UTs, with Ladakh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana having higher number of participants across the game categories.
The second phase of the Khelo India Winter Games, abbreviated as KIWG will be live streamed from March 9 on multiple platforms of DD Sports channel and Jio TV for the Indian citizens to view.
