Srinagar: The second leg of the 5th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG), which postponed due to insufficient snowfall, will now be held from March 9 to 12 as Jammu and Kashmir’s Gulmarg received the appreciable snowfall.
The second leg of the 2025 Khelo India Winter Games, featuring four snow sports Ski Mountaineering, Alpine Skiing, Snowboard & Nordic Skiing, was initially scheduled to be staged in Gulmarg from February 22 to 25, but the authorities announced postponement of the event due to scant snowfall on the ski slopes of Gulmarg.
The Ski resort has received good snowfall during the last seven days, and even on Monday five to eight inches of fresh snowfall accumulated on the ground while it was still snowing at Gulmarg.
Officials on Monday said that the event will now start on March 9 and conclude on March 12. “More than 300 athletes from all over the country will compete in events like alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, snowboarding and ice hockey. Arrangements for 5th Khelo India winter games 2025 have already been finalised,” officials said.
The first leg of KIWG 2025 was held in Leh from January 23 to 27, featuring ice sports such as ice hockey and ice skating at Ladakh NDS Stadium and Guphuk Pond & LSRC Army Rink.
The initiative is meant to promote winter sports in India by offering athletes a competitive platform in one of the country’s premier snow destinations. These winter sports provide Indian athletes with much-needed exposure to international level winter sports facilities.
Gulmarg has some of the world’s best ski slopes comparable to France, Switzerland and Italy. The second stage of the Gulmarg Gandola cable car ropeway, which has 36 cabins and 18 towers, takes skiers to a height of 3,980 m (13,058 ft) on Kongdoori Mountain, a shoulder of nearby Afarwat Peak (4,200 m (13,780 ft)
The ski resort also has the world’s highest golf course, where masters like Tiger Woods have teed off in the past.
The central government is working in close collaboration with J&K government in promoting Gulmarg as the winter sports destination of the country.(IANS)
CM launches KIWG website
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday launched the official website for Khelo India Winter Games 2025 (kwig2025.com) at the Civil Secretariat.
The launch event was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Ministers Javed Ahmad Rana and Satish Sharma, and Gulmarg MLA Farooq A. Shah. Also present were Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner Secretary GAD & Information M. Raju, Secretary Law, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Secretary J&K Sports Council and other officials, both in person and virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah extended his best wishes to the organizers and inquired about the arrangements and finalization of dates for the event.
In her presentation, Secretary J&K Sports Council announced that the event will now take place from March 9-12 at Gulmarg. She detailed the schedule, including the arrival of teams on March 7, a night skiing demonstration, fireworks, a laser show, cultural programs, competition events and the award ceremony.
She also highlighted the key features of the newly launched website, which will provide real-time updates and comprehensive event-related information.
With fresh snowfall, Jammu & Kashmir is set to host the second leg of KIWG 2025 in Gulmarg from March 9 to 12, ensuring a world-class winter sports experience in one of India’s premier snow destinations.
The event, initially scheduled for February 22-25, was postponed due to insufficient snowfall. The Khelo India Winter Games 2025 will feature four major events—Alpine Skiing, Ski Mountaineering, Snowboarding, and Nordic Skiing—which will take place at Kongdoori and Gulmarg Club in Gulmarg.
