New Delhi, Feb 12:
The second leg of the Khelo India Winter Games will be held in Gulmarg from February 23 to 26 and is expected to draw close to 400 competitors, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Thursday.
It will continue the sixth edition of the Games after the first leg, featuring ice sports, was held in Ladakh from January 20 to 26.
Gulmarg will host the snow competitions and the Indian Army will defend its overall championship title.
“The Gulmarg leg is coming at the back of the Winter Olympics and this is the perfect time to host the Khelo India Winter Games,” Mandaviya stated in a press release.
“We had a very successful first phase in Leh and surely, we will see the same excitement in Jammu and Kashmir as athletes will once again battle with nature and challenging conditions.
“In Leh, the addition of figure skating enhanced the competitive intensity, and in Gulmarg, we are expecting some impressive timings on the Kongdoori slopes,” he added.
Gulmarg will feature four medal disciplines — Ski Mountaineering, Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing (Cross-Country), and Snowboarding — with around 400 athletes expected to compete.
Alpine Skiing will be drawing the highest participation.
At the conclusion of the 2025 season, the Indian Army topped the team standings with 18 medals, while Himachal Pradesh finished second, followed by Ladakh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.
At the end of the Ladakh leg this year, Haryana led with four gold medals, all won by its figure and ice skaters, followed by Ladakh, Maharashtra, and Telangana.–(PTI)