HAWS Emerges as India’s Winter Sports Medal Factory at Khelo India Games

GULMARG, MARCH 1: As the 6th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games concluded in Gulmarg, athletes and coaches repeatedly pointed to a single institution as the backbone of India’s growing winter sports success—the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS).
While medals glittered on the podium, competitors credited their performances to the rigorous training and discipline forged on the snowbound ridges above Gulmarg, where the Army’s elite winter warfare institution has quietly evolved into a national centre of excellence.
From military necessity to sporting excellence
Established in December 1948 by General K.S. Thimayya as the 19 Infantry Division Ski School, HAWS was created to prepare soldiers for avalanche-prone terrain. It later evolved into the Winter Warfare School before being upgraded in 1962 into its current form.
Specialising in snowcraft and high-altitude combat training, the school today blends survival skills, endurance, and technical mastery. Over time, this ecosystem has produced not only soldiers but also world-class winter sports athletes.
Officials said the institution’s transformation reflects a structured and scientific approach to training, combining altitude conditioning, international coaching, and modern sports science.
Athletes forged on the slopes
At this year’s Games, Nordic skiing events saw dominant performances by athletes trained at HAWS.
Army skier Padma Namgail won gold in the men’s Nordic 10-km event, with teammates Aman and Manjeet completing the podium. A similar sweep followed in the 1.5-km sprint, where Sunny Singh, Shubam Parihar and Manjeet secured all three medals.
“These results show the strength of the system,” Namgail said, adding that HAWS provides world-class infrastructure, coaching, and exposure to international competitions.
The institution’s influence extends beyond the Army. Athletes from the CRPF and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) also credited the school for their progress.
CRPF athlete Kajal Kumari Rai, who saw snow for the first time only last year, won gold in Nordic events after training at HAWS. “The Army and HAWS gave me belief,” she said.
Similarly, Nordic sprint champion Bhavani T.N. from Karnataka, who began skiing late, trained at HAWS and the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering before emerging as a national champion.
Structured and scientific training
Army officials described the programme as highly systematic. According to coaches, the school trains around 250 to 300 Army athletes annually and also supports select civilian and paramilitary personnel.
Athletes receive year-round conditioning through ski simulators, roller skiing, altitude training, specialised diet planning, and sports medicine support. International experts from Europe and Central Asia are also engaged to bring training standards in line with global benchmarks.
“This is not just a facility, it is a pipeline,” an Army coach said, highlighting the emphasis on endurance, resilience and tactical precision.
Beyond medals
Sports administrators believe the impact of HAWS extends beyond podium finishes.
The institution has helped create a professional winter sports culture in India, providing exposure, infrastructure, and technical expertise previously unavailable to many athletes.
CRPF officials said the collaboration with Army coaches over recent years has significantly raised performance levels across forces.
A national winter sports hub
Experts noted that as India prepares for long-term Olympic ambitions, institutions such as HAWS are becoming critical to building a sustainable ecosystem.
The Khelo India Winter Games, they said, have demonstrated that winter sports in India are no longer limited to geography but are expanding through structured talent development.
In Gulmarg, medals may have been awarded to individuals, but athletes agree that their journey began at a single place in the snow—where warfare training evolved into a medal-winning system and belief turned into performance.