Gulmarg (J&K), March 09 (HS): The second phase of Khelo India Winter Games 2025 will start from today on the beautiful Kongdori slopes of Jammu and Kashmir. In this prestigious tournament, the Indian Army is preparing to give a tough fight to the first phase winner Union Territory of Ladakh to defend its title.
In the first phase, Ladakh performed brilliantly and won a total of 7 medals, including 4 gold. Tamil Nadu won 5 medals including 3 gold and secured second place, while Maharashtra won the most 10 medals, but had to be content with third place due to only 2 gold medals.
This time more than 350 players from 11 states, 2 union territories and central forces – Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are participating in this competition. There will be competition in four main sports – alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering and snowboarding. Earlier, the competition was scheduled to be held in February, but it was postponed due to insufficient snowfall. Now Gulmarg is covered in a white sheet of snow, which guarantees thrilling sports performances.
Alpine skiing player Waseem Bhat from Jammu and Kashmir believes that this sport makes him fearless. He said, Khelo India Winter Games is focusing on top players from Jammu and Kashmir as well as the country. The hills of Kashmir inspire me to be fearless and adaptable. I am excited to showcase my skills in this competition and make Jammu and Kashmir proud.
Captain Amit Kapoor, ski mountaineering athlete from Delhi, said that the mental strength of winter sports athletes is unique, which makes this competition special. He said, The Khelo India Winter Games, being held since 2020, has come a long way. After the Covid-19 pandemic, this competition has made Jammu and Kashmir the winter sports capital of India. Ski mountaineering is a sport of endurance, skill and mental strength. The slopes of Gulmarg may be tough to tackle, but the perseverance and courage of the athletes participating in this competition is inspiring.
This exciting phase of Khelo India Winter Games 2025 will give sports lovers from all over the country an opportunity to witness the growing popularity of winter sports in Jammu and Kashmir.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
