- J&K LG Manoj Sinha urges athletes to draw inspiration from Olympians Mikaela Shiffrin and Arif Khan
- J&K CM Omar Abdullah calls for artificial snow to make Gulmarg an all-weather ski destination
Gulmarg (Jammu & Kashmir), Feb. 23: Army made an emphatic start to the Gulmarg leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2026, winning three of the five gold medals at stake on Day 1 on Monday. CRPF and Himachal Pradesh also finished among the gold medals.
It was not a day for the favourites as veteran stars like Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda of Karnataka and Aanchal Thakur of Himachal Pradesh were upstaged by skiers who have been excelling on the national circuit.
Young Jiah Aryan, 17, one of India’s emerging Alpine skiing talents from Karnataka, won a bronze in her second Khelo India Winter Games. She competed against seniors like Aanchal and Sandhya Thakur, both Asian Winter Games representatives. Himachal Pradesh’s Sandhya edged past Aanchal in a tight Giant Slalom race on the Kongdoori slopes.
CRPF’s Emotional Gold
It was an emotional day for CRPF’s Kajal Kumari Rai, who clinched gold in the women’s 15km Nordic skiing (cross-country) at the Gulmarg Golf Course. Kajal relegated hot favourite Bhavani to bronze with a powerful finish. The Meghalaya-born skier dedicated her victory to her father, who passed away last year. CRPF’s Renu Danu secured silver.
Army’s Dominant Start
Army’s Sunny Singh won the first gold medal of the day in the men’s 1.5 km Nordic sprint. The Kathua skier, trained at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, led an Army 1-2-3 sweep in the event before the inauguration ceremony.
Leadership Messages at Inauguration
Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, described the Games as a “relay race” following the conclusion of the Winter Olympics in Italy.
“Our athletes can take inspiration from Olympic legends like American Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin and Indian Olympian Arif Khan. This edition is a platform to showcase technical skills in challenging natural conditions,” he said, adding that KIWG is a test of courage and character.
Chief Minister Shri Omar Abdullah urged athletes to aim higher on the continental stage.
“We want another Arif Khan to emerge from here. It’s time to focus on winning medals at least at the Asian level. We must create infrastructure to make Gulmarg an all-weather international ski destination,” he said.
With unusually warm weather impacting snow conditions, Shri Abdullah proposed artificial snow generation to combat climate change. “Gulmarg’s tourism and winter sports future depend on sustainable snow infrastructure,” he added.
RESULTS – DAY 1 (All Finals)
Nordic Skiing
Men (Sprint, 1.5 km): 1. Sunny Singh (Army) – 3:06.83; 2. Shubam Parihar (Army) – 3:07.35; 3. Manjeet (Army) – 3:08.73
Women (15 km): 1. Kajal Kumari Rai (CRPF) – 52:08.29; 2. Renu Danu (CRPF) – 53:10.81; 3. Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda (Karnataka) – 53:20.44
Snowboarding
Men (Slalom): 1. Vivek Rana (Army) – 01:01.439; 2. Kulvinder Sharma (Army) – 01:02.854; 3. Vikar Ahmad Lone (J&K) – 01:03.174
Alpine Giant Slalom
Men: 1. Mayank Panwar (Army) – 01:06.479; 2. Baqir Hussain (Army) – 01:07.194; 3. Devendra Gurung (Army) – 01:09.473
Women: 1. Sandhya Thakur (Himachal Pradesh) – 01:23.285; 2. Aanchal Thakur (HP) – 01:23.985; 3. Jiah Aryan (Karnataka) – 01:31.064
For full medal tally, visit winter.kheloindia.gov.in/medal-tally.