Khelo India Winter Games: A Comprehensive Overview

The Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) began in 2020, with the inaugural edition held in two legs: February 25–March 7 in Leh (Ladakh) and March 7–11 in Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir). Launched after the success of the Khelo India Youth Games, KIWG aims to promote winter sports and identify talent for international competitions like the Winter Olympics. The games are held annually, typically in January–March, in India’s Himalayan regions, leveraging cold-weather conditions for snow and ice sports.

Countries Where the Khelo India Winter Games Are Held

The Khelo India Winter Games are exclusively held in India, as a domestic competition for athletes from Indian states and union territories with suitable winter conditions. Since 2020, two regions have hosted the games:

Host Regions and Venues

Key Notes:

• Leh (Ladakh) and Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir) are primary venues due to their high-altitude, snow-covered terrain suitable for winter sports.
• Gulmarg’s ski resorts and Leh’s ice rinks are key facilities, with events split across both locations in most editions.
• Future editions are likely to continue in these regions, with potential expansion to Himachal Pradesh (e.g., Manali) or Uttarakhand (e.g., Auli).

Which Games (Sports) Are Included?

The Khelo India Winter Games feature winter sports suited to India’s Himalayan regions, focusing on snow and ice disciplines. The 2025 edition included 6 sports with an estimated 18 gold medals:

Sports in 2025 Khelo India Winter Games

1. Alpine Skiing
2. Ice Hockey
3. Figure Skating
4. Speed Skating
5. Snowboarding
6. Cross-Country Skiing

Key Notes:

• Sports are selected based on India’s winter sports infrastructure, with a focus on Olympic disciplines like alpine skiing and ice hockey.
• Events are held at specialized venues, such as ski slopes in Gulmarg and ice rinks in Leh.
• Indigenous or experimental sports (e.g., snow rugby) were included in earlier editions but streamlined in 2025 to focus on core winter sports.

Which Events Occurred in the Past but Are Not Now?

• Discontinued Events:
  • Snow Rugby (2020–2021): Introduced as an experimental team sport but discontinued due to limited participation and lack of international alignment.
  • Ice Stock Sport (2020–2021): A curling-like sport, dropped due to low popularity and infrastructure challenges.
  • Snow Baseball (2020): Included briefly as a demonstration sport but not continued due to minimal interest.
  • Mountaineering (2020): Excluded after 2020 due to safety concerns and logistical difficulties in competitive formats.
  • Snowshoe Running (2020–2021): Dropped in later editions to focus on Olympic-relevant sports.
  • Nordic Skiing (2020–2023): Merged into cross-country skiing to streamline events.
• Current Additions:
  • Snowboarding (2023–present): Added to align with Winter Olympic disciplines and growing youth interest.
  • Cross-Country Skiing (2020–present): Retained and emphasized as a core Olympic sport.

Key Notes:

• Discontinued sports were often experimental or lacked sufficient participation and infrastructure.
• The focus has shifted to Olympic-aligned sports to prepare athletes for international competitions.

Till Now, India’s Position

As a domestic event, India is the sole participating nation, with states, union territories, and the Services Sports Control Board competing for the overall championship. Jammu and Kashmir and Services have dominated due to their access to winter sports facilities and training programs. Below is the medal tally for each edition:

Khelo India Winter Games Medal Tally

Key Notes:

• Jammu and Kashmir topped in 2020–2023, leveraging Gulmarg’s ski facilities and local expertise.
• Services led in 2024 and 2025, driven by disciplined training programs for armed forces athletes.
• Notable athletes include Aanchal Thakur (skiing, Himachal Pradesh) and Aadil Manzoor Peer (ice stock sport, 2020).
• Host regions (Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh) consistently perform well due to familiarity with venues.

Members (Participating States/Union Territories) with Website Links

The Khelo India Winter Games involve a limited number of states and union territories (primarily Himalayan regions with winter sports infrastructure) and the Services Sports Control Board. Typically, 6–10 teams participate due to the specialized nature of winter sports. Below is a list of key participants with links to their sports associations or government sports departments:

• Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh Olympic Association
• Jammu and Kashmir: J&K Sports Council
• Ladakh: Ladakh Sports Department
• Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand Olympic Association
• Karnataka: Karnataka Olympic Association
• Maharashtra: Maharashtra Olympic Association
• Services Sports Control Board: Services Sports Control Board
• Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal Olympic Association
• Sikkim: Sikkim Olympic Association

Notes:

• Links are sourced from the IOA website (olympic.ind.in) or state sports departments as of October 24, 2025.
• Participation is limited to states/union territories with cold climates or access to winter sports training (e.g., Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand).
• Other states like Karnataka and Maharashtra participate due to urban athletes training at national camps or private facilities.
• The Khelo India Winter Games portal (kheloindia.gov.in) provides updates on participants.

All Games in Khelo India Winter Games: Regulatory Bodies and Official Links (National/International)

Each sport is governed by a national sports federation under the SAI and IOA, affiliated with international federations for Olympic-aligned sports. Below is a list of the 6 sports from the 2025 Khelo India Winter Games, with their regulatory bodies and links (national: India; international).

Notes:

• Links are current as of October 24, 2025, sourced from SAI (kheloindia.gov.in), IOA (olympic.ind.in), and international federation websites.
• The Winter Games Federation of India oversees skiing and snowboarding, while the Ice Skating Association of India manages skating sports.
• Discontinued sports like snow rugby and ice stock sport had no dedicated Indian federations, contributing to their exclusion.
• The Khelo India Winter Games are overseen by the Sports Authority of India (kheloindia.gov.in) in collaboration with the IOA and national sports federations.