The Biz Reporter
Srinagar: After hosted first four editions successfully, the world-famous ski resort of Gulmarg is getting ready to host 5th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games from February 22nd to 25th 2025.
The 5th edition of the games would be directly conducted by Sports Authority of India (SAI) in association with Olympic Ad Hoc Committee for Ski and Snowboard India and Winter Games Association of Jammu & Kashmir with active support from J&K Government. Like previous years, this time too, Gulmarg has been assigned to host alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing and ski mountaineering competitions while as Ladakh would be hosting ice related events of Ice Skating and Ice Hockey. The games have been divided into two parts with the aim to turn into a professional competition with better and smooth facilities for all the participants.
Around 500 athletes with officials from different States, UT’S and Army are going to take part in multiple events at Gulmarg. The Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding and Ski Mountaineering competitions would be held at Kongdoori while as Nordic Skiing competitions will be held at the main bowl of Gulmarg. To make all arrangements ready, all stakeholders SAI, Sports Federations and J&K Government are making their efforts in this regard.
President, Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir (WGAJK), Rauf Tramboo has been nominated as member of GTCC technical committee and assigned as Competition Manager for all alpine skiing competitions.
Terming it a historic in the Winter sports arena of Country, Rauf Tramboo said, “We are highly thankful to Ministry of Sports Government of India and Sports Authority of India for giving their full support to the Olympic Ad Hoc Committee for Ski and Snowboard India and WGAJK. It is historic moment as the Sports Ministry GOI and SAI have taken full control of Winter Sports from last winter season and in coming times, the KIWG event is going to be played with larger participation of atheletes”.
“By taking Khelo India Winter Games under its wings, the Sports Ministry has shown its commitment in the promotion of winter sports. It is going to give a major boost to the winter sports in Country and is going to attract more and more youth towards the sport,” Rauf Tramboo said.
Tramboo said, that apart from its sports angle, Khelo India Winter Games will also bring into focus Winter Tourism sector of Kashmir. “Government of India specifically has given hosting rights of Khelo India Winter Games to Kashmir with the aim to give major flip to winter and adventure tourism. With athletes from all over India coming to Kashmir for the Khelo India Winter Games, the event is going to act as a winter sports and tourism promotion in coming years.,” he said.
Tramboo thanked J&K Government, along with J&K Sports Council, Department of Tourism Kashmir and J&K Cable Car Corporation for its continuing support and said that without their support the event wouldn’t be a possibility and huge success.
