Mandaviya Urges Athletes to Seize Opportunity as Khelo India Winter Games 2026 Begin in Leh

• Over 1,000 participants to take part in Ladakh leg of KIWG 2026
• Figure skating introduced for the first time as an Olympic discipline
• 472 athletes to compete in ice skating and ice hockey
• Hosts Ladakh aim to defend their top position from last season

GG News Bureau
Leh, 20th Jan: More than 1,000 athletes, coaches and technical officials are set to converge in Leh as the Ladakh leg of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2026 gets underway on Tuesday, with Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya urging competitors to make the most of the opportunity and push Indian winter sports to new heights.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Nawang Dorjan Stobdan (NDS) Stadium, while competitions will take place across the Army rink and the frozen Gupukh’s Pond until January 26. A total of 472 athletes will participate in two ice disciplines — ice skating and ice hockey — with the major highlight this year being the inclusion of figure skating, an Olympic sport, in the programme.

Speaking ahead of the Games, Dr. Mandaviya said that 2026 has begun with strong momentum for Indian sport, with the Khelo India Beach Games already held in Diu earlier this month. He described the Winter Games as a crucial addition to India’s sporting calendar, giving athletes exposure to high-altitude and extreme weather competition.

“It is only due to the Modi government’s sustained efforts that India now hosts a national-level multi-sport Winter Games, firmly embedding winter sports in our domestic framework,” he said, adding that the fixed annual Khelo India calendar would strengthen grassroots competition and athlete development.

While ice hockey remains the flagship event, officials and coaches believe figure skating’s inclusion will broaden the talent base. India had sent its largest-ever contingent of 59 athletes to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China last year, where US-based skater Tara Prasad finished eighth — India’s best-ever result in figure skating at a continental event.

Senior Ladakh coach Mohammad Abbas Nordak said the Games would be a milestone for the sport. “We may not have won medals in Harbin, but we proved we can compete. More competition means more opportunity,” he said.

Ladakh, which topped the medal tally last year with four gold medals, is aiming to repeat that performance on home turf. In terms of participation, Haryana (62 athletes), Himachal Pradesh (55), and Ladakh (52) have the largest contingents among the 21 states and UTs taking part.

A total of 17 gold medals will be contested in the Ladakh leg — 15 in ice skating and two in ice hockey. The Games are being organised by the Ladakh Youth Services and Sports Department under the supervision of the Sports Authority of India, with technical support from national ice sports federations.

Dr. Mandaviya also announced that the Khelo India Tribal Games will be held next month, followed by other formats across the country, reinforcing the government’s commitment to making Khelo India a year-round sporting movement.