Khelo India Winter Games postponed due to insufficient snowfall

The second round of the 5th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games was supposed to take place on February 22nd in Gulmarg but has been suspended owing to a lack of adequate snowfall.

The Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council reported on this. Posting on social media platform 'X', he informed that the Khelo India Winter Games 2025, originally scheduled on February 22-25, has been canceled due to scanty snowfall. New dates will be announced after things improve on the snow situation.

This is the second consecutive year that games have been canceled due to the paucity of fall of snow. Even last year, they were held in February due to the non-availability of snow in January. The first round of Khelo India Winter Games 2025 was held in Leh on 23-27 January. Ice hockey and ice skating were held there like the rest of the winter games.

In the first phase, Ladakh won a total of seven medals including four gold, while Tamil Nadu won a total of five medals including three gold. Maharashtra won the highest number of 10 medals but remained in third place due to only two gold medals. In the Khelo India Winter Games 2024, Maharashtra won first place by winning six gold medals including 20 skating medals. Telangana stood fourth with two gold and Karnataka fifth with one gold.

Khelo India Winter Games started in 2020. About 1000 players participated in the first edition, including 306 women. After this, the number of participants increased every year. More than 1350 players participated in 2021 and more than 1500 players in 2022.

The 2024 Games saw the participation of over 1,200 participants, including over 700 athletes, 141 support staff, 113 technical officials, over 250 volunteers, and other volunteers associated with the Games. A total of 136 medals were at stake in this edition.

The 2024 edition was special because for the first time, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India, conducted the technical operations of the Games. It also had the support of the National Sports Federations and the Indian Olympic Association.