SRINAGAR: In a first for Jammu and Kashmir, the Khelo India Winter Games are set to feature a drone and laser show at Gulmarg, a famous ski resort, in February next year.
Notably, Gulmarg has hosted four editions of the Khelo India Winter Games since 2020, with over 5,000 athletes, support staff, and technical officials participating up to 2024.
Preparations for the fifth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games are in full swing, with official sources revealing that several meetings have been held to finalise the arrangements and ensure the upcoming event’s success.
Gulmarg will be the first location in Jammu and Kashmir to host a drone show.
Quoting official sources, KNO reported that over 1,000 participants are set to take part in the fifth edition of the event, with preparations currently underway.
The annual event has been hosted at Gulmarg since 2020 under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and aims to showcase the region’s potential to emerge as one of South Asia’s best snow resorts.
The Khelo India Winter Games will once again be held in two parts. The Union Territory of Ladakh will host the ice events from January 23 to 27, 2025, while Jammu and Kashmir will host the snow events from February 22 to 25, 2025.
“We are looking forward to another exciting season of the Khelo India Games. The Winter Games will be crucial as India needs to find the best athletes to represent the country at the 2026 Winter Olympics,” Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said in an official communiqué.
“It is our endeavour to promote winter sports and encourage more athletes to take up skiing and skating. We have already seen many athletes from remote Himalayan villages participating in these Games. That’s very encouraging,” Dr Mandaviya added.
