Srinagar, Dec 20 : The preparations for the fifth edition of Khelo India Winter Games (KWIG) are in full swing at Gulmarg with officials claiming that the successful event in the last couple of years have brought the number of tourist up at the famous ski-resort of Kashmir.
“After the first successful Khelo India Winter Games in 2020, the Gulmarg has witnessed a rise in the footfall of tourists with many people getting fascinated with the destination’s potential of hosting the winter games related to the snow,” the officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
They said such is the potential of Gulmarg that it is hosting the event for the fifth time in February next year, commencing on February 22nd and culminating on February 25th.
The officials further divulged that the preparations are going on at present to make the event grand success in which skiing, mountaineering and other programmes are expected. “Above 1000 participants are expected in the event, who will participate in different games,” he said.
Pertinently, the KNO has already reported that for the first time, the drone show is all set to take center-stage in the upcoming Khelo India Winter Games.
The annual event has been hosted at Gulmarg since 2020 under Swach Bharat Abhiyaan and with an aim to showcase the potential of the place to emerge as one of the best snow-resort in South Asia.
The Khelo India Winter Games will once again be held in two legs as the government has announced that the Union Territory of Ladakh will host the ice events from January 23 to 27, 2025 while the UT of Jammu & Kashmir will host the snow events from February 22 to 25, 2025.
“We are once looking ahead to an exciting season of Khelo India Games. The Winter Games will be important because India needs to find the best athletes to represent the country at the 2026 Winter Olympics,” said the Union Sports Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya had said—(KNO)
