The Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 will now take place in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, from March 9 to 12. The games were originally scheduled from February 22 to 25 but had to be postponed due to insufficient snowfall. Kashmir experienced one of its driest winters in recent history, making it difficult to host winter sports. However, heavy snowfall in recent days has created the perfect conditions for the games to go ahead.

“We are all set to host the Khelo India Winter Games 2025 from March 9 to 12. Top winter sports athletes from across the country are expected to participate in the event,” said Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council secretary Nuzhat Gul.

Second leg of Winter Games to feature skiing and snowboarding

The upcoming event in Gulmarg marks the second leg of the Khelo India Winter Games. Competitions will be held in skiing and snowboarding. The first leg was successfully conducted in January in Leh, Ladakh, where athletes competed in ice skating and ice hockey events.

The Khelo India Winter Games are national-level, multi-sport competitions designed to promote winter sports in India. These games include a variety of sports such as skiing, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snow rugby, ice stock sport, snow baseball, mountaineering, snowshoe running, ice hockey, figure skating, and speed skating. The first edition of the Winter Games was held in 2020 after the success of the Khelo India Youth Games.

About Khelo India

Khelo India is a national program launched in 2017-18 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Ministers Vijay Goel and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. The initiative aims to improve India’s sports culture at the grassroots level. It focuses on identifying talented athletes, organising competitions, and developing sports infrastructure. Khelo India also includes traditional Indian games in its events to help revive their popularity.

With the upcoming Winter Games in Gulmarg, India continues to promote winter sports and provide a platform for athletes to showcase their skills.

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