Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg postponed due to lack of snowfall

Srinagar: The second leg of the 5th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games, which was set to take place in Gulmarg from February 22, has been postponed due to insufficient snowfall. The J&K Sports Council announced the postponement on social media, stating that a new assessment will be conducted once snow conditions improve, and the revised dates will be shared accordingly.

This marks the second consecutive year the event has been rescheduled because of inadequate snowfall. Last year, the games were pushed to February after a dry January.

The first leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025 was held in Leh from January 23 to 27, featuring ice sports such as ice hockey and ice skating. During the first leg, Ladakh earned seven medals, including four gold, while Tamil Nadu secured five medals, three of which were gold. Maharashtra claimed the highest number of medals (10) but finished third with only two golds. In the 2024 edition, Maharashtra topped the medals tally with 20 skating medals, including six gold, while Telangana and Karnataka secured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

The Khelo India Winter Games, which began in 2020, has seen growing participation over the years. The inaugural edition saw nearly 1,000 athletes, including 306 women. By 2021, the number of participants had risen to more than 1,350, and in 2022, over 1,500 athletes took part. The 2024 edition witnessed the involvement of over 1,200 participants, including more than 700 athletes, 141 support staff, 113 technical officials, and 250-plus volunteers. A total of 136 medals were contested in this edition.

Notably, 2024 marked the first time the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India, managed the technical aspects of the Games, working alongside the National Sports Federations and the Indian Olympic Association.

With IANS inputs