Third Khelo India Winter Games to be held in Gulmarg

The third “Khelo India Winter Games” will be held at Gulmarg, which is in the northern part of the Kashmir Valley. The big sports event, slated to start on February 10, 2023, is expected to draw more than 1500 participants.

Recently, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur along with J&K Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, launched the 3rd Khelo India National Winter Games Anthem, mascot, and jersey.  They expressed happiness over Gulmarg turning into a “Sports City” and it is in a position to host the largest ever contingent of 1500 players from across the country.

Notably, the plan to host the National Winter Games in J&K was carried out in 2019 following the repeal of Article 370. The inaugural “Khelo India Winter Games” took place in February and March 2020 in Leh and Gulmarg. The event, which was the first of its kind in India, was organised to promote winter sports like skiing, Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snow rugby, ice stock sport, snow baseball, mountaineering, snowshoe running, ice hockey, figure skating, and speed skating. Other winter sports included snowshoe running and ice hockey. The main goal was to spread awareness of winter sports among young people nationwide.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2021 virtually inaugurated the second edition of the “Khelo India Winter Games” held at Gulmarg.

In his inaugural address, PM Modi stated that Gulmarg will prepare sportsmen for more prominent international platforms like the Olympics. More than 800 athletes from across the country participated in the 2021 event; this year, the number of participants doubled.

Meanwhile, in South Kashmir, two tournaments under the Khelo India program have been organized in the Tral region of India where athletes have participated in sports despite the cold and snow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned the Snow Cricket Tournament held in Tral in the recent Mann Ki Baat program.