KIWG 2025: Dr. Mandaviya at the Grand Finale; Army Takes Overall Championship

Gulmarg (J&K), March 12 (NationPress) To promote winter sports in Jammu & Kashmir, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya revealed the government’s vision to transform Gulmarg into a premier destination for winter sports during the closing ceremony of the fifth Khelo India Winter Games at the Gulmarg Golf Club.

The event was graced by the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, and J&K Minister of Youth Services & Sports, Satish Sharma, among other dignitaries.

“India boasts a wealth of talent, and we must identify and cultivate it from ages 9 to 24. To achieve this, we need to establish a sports school in every district across the subcontinent, where raw talent can be identified and refined at National Centres of Excellence nationwide.

“We will ensure that they have the ability to compete at national and international levels, providing all the necessary support these young athletes require. Jammu & Kashmir is already recognized for hosting one of the best coaching programs among Indian states. I have encouraged all states to adopt the coaching model established by J&K,” Dr. Mandaviya stated during his closing remarks.

“The Indian government has a duty to foster sports nationwide, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration is committed to enhancing the standard of sports in Jammu & Kashmir. Our objective is to develop a sporting hub for winter sports in Gulmarg, offering the youth of Jammu & Kashmir optimal opportunities and infrastructure to succeed in sports,” he further elaborated.

Dr. Mandaviya mentioned that he engaged with sports ministers from 28 states and 8 Union Territories, alongside senior officials from National Sports Federations, to map out a strategic plan leading up to the 2036 Summer Olympics. “With the ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games, we must build a strong sports infrastructure and a high-quality sports ecosystem. We need a clear roadmap. Often, we set goals, yet the pathway to achieving them is unclear. Recently, we held a three-day brainstorming session in Hyderabad with sports ministers, senior representatives from National Sports Federations, distinguished athletes, and sports experts to create a 10-year roadmap based on the feedback from all stakeholders,” he said.

The Union Sports Minister highlighted that Gulmarg is not only famous for its floral meadows but is also emerging as India’s Winter Games city. “Having visited numerous international skiing destinations, I can confidently say that Gulmarg surpasses them in beauty and is among the finest tourist and skiing locales globally. We just need to seize the opportunities to enhance this destination further,” he remarked.

Army Claims Overall Championship

Dr. Mandaviya presented the overall champions trophy to the Indian Army, which secured 18 medals, comprising seven gold, five silver, and six bronze, successfully defending their title.

The Army faced fierce competition from Himachal Pradesh, which finished as runners-up with six gold, five silver, and seven bronze medals. The Union Territory of Ladakh ranked third with seven medals, including four gold, two silver, and one bronze.

Himachal Pradesh delivered its best performance on the final day by clinching the women’s relay gold medal in ski mountaineering but ultimately had to concede the second position to the Indian Army, who retained their Winter Games title by securing one additional gold medal on Wednesday. It was a disappointment for Himachal Pradesh, which had won seven medals the day before, including a clean sweep in the Alpine skiing women’s slalom event.

The Army maintained their Winter Games title due to a preparatory trip to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China, which greatly boosted their confidence. The soldiers, primarily stationed at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, capitalized on local knowledge and acclimatization to extreme weather conditions, including continuous snowfall, harsh winds, avalanche risks, and poor visibility.

The Winter Games showcased the Indian Army's dominance in Nordic skiing events, while the Indo-Tibetan Border Police excelled in the women’s category.

The KIWG featured numerous multiple medallists, including Rajeshwar Singh (2 gold and 1 silver in ski mountaineering), Kusum Rana (2 gold and 1 bronze in women’s Nordic skiing), Sunny Singh (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze in men’s Nordic skiing), and Siddharth Gadekar (1 gold, 1 silver in ski mountaineering), among others.

The medal tally also indicates that states lacking natural winter sports topography performed admirably in this edition of the Khelo India Winter Games, highlighting the effectiveness of the Indian Government's efforts to popularize this niche sport. States like Maharashtra, with 13 medals, and Tamil Nadu, with five medals, serve as prime examples.

In the previous edition, the Army topped the medal tally with 10 gold, narrowly surpassing Karnataka and outperforming Maharashtra by three gold medals.