Khelo India Winter Games 2025 to begin today in Leh

Leh, Jan 22: Leh is all set to transform into a winter wonderland as the fifth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) kicks off today, with Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, set to inaugurate the grand event at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Sports Complex in Leh.

The Union Minister during the inaugural event will be joined by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier Dr. B.D. Mishra, and other officials.

Official sources confirmed to Greater Kashmir that Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, will inaugurate and attend the opening ceremony at the iconic Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Sports Complex in Leh on Thursday and will declare the Games Open in the presence of the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier Dr BD Mishra, and senior officials of the Sports Authority of India and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.

Officials said the opening ceremony promises a blend of traditional Ladakhi culture and the spirit of sportsmanship, setting the stage for five thrilling days of ice hockey and skating competitions in the region from January 23 to 27 to welcome 428 athletes and over 150 officials for a sporting spectacle.

As per the officials, a traditional, Ladhaki-style opening has been planned to welcome 594 participants, of which 428 will be athletes. This will be the second time Ladakh will be hosting the Winter Games, into its fifth edition.

Several young skaters will be seen in action at the NDS and Gupuks Pond, the two venues where short- and long-form skating will be organised. Ice-hockey matches will be played at the NDS and the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre.

The technical conduct of the events will be supervised by SAI with help from the national sports federations.

Chalesh Rana, hailing from Himachal Pwradesh, said that he was all smiles and brimming with excitement about being in Ladakh for KIWG2025, promising to play his best. "I am excited about the event and eagerly awaiting this opportunity,” he said.

Teams from Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh have arrived in Leh for KIWG25. They were warmly welcomed by the UT Administration with khataqs, the traditional white scarf.

"The Union Territory of Ladakh will host ice sports, including ice hockey and ice skating events, from January 23 to 27, 2025," an official said.

Notably, 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.

The Khelo India Winter Games are part of the Khelo India Mission, a brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Khelo India Winter Games started in 2020.

Nineteen teams, comprising of states, Union Territories, and institutions, will compete over five days in two events—ice hockey and ice skating.