Gulmarg, February 17, 2026 : The snow-clad slopes of Gulmarg are set to come alive with elite winter sporting action as the second leg of the Khelo India Winter Games gets underway from February 23 to 26, bringing together nearly 400 athletes from across the country.
Competing at an altitude of 8,700 feet, athletes from regions as diverse as Ambala, Hyderabad, Indore, Pune and Madhya Pradesh will contest four medal disciplines — ski mountaineering, Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing (cross-country) and snowboarding. The first leg of the Games was successfully held in Leh last month.
Altitude: The Toughest Opponent
Veteran skier Ankush Bazala from Jammu says Gulmarg is as much a mental test as a physical one.
“You don’t just train your legs here; you train your lungs, nerves and patience. Gulmarg pushes you to be better,” he says, referring to the demanding upper slopes near Kongdoori.
Fellow athlete Kanika Shan credits the Games for transforming India’s winter sports ecosystem.
“Before Khelo India, you felt invisible. Now you feel recognised,” she says, while analysing her technique frame by frame on her phone.
National Platform, Rising Standards
Athletes arriving from lower altitudes describe the initial days as brutal but transformative.
“For me, it’s an altitude shock,” says Hrishi Gulhane from Pune. “Once your body adapts, it sharpens you. Racing here is like racing on a blade.”
Indore’s Atul Vaid calls Gulmarg “India’s answer to the Alps,” while Hyderabad-based skydiver Yashwant Reddy, now learning skiing, admits the slopes demand constant respect.
“Jumping from planes is easier — here gravity never lets you relax,” he says.
From Kerala, Muhammad Sinan describes the experience as unifying.
“We don’t grow up with snow, but here athletes from every corner of India share the same slope.”
Symbol of Sporting Confidence
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has earlier described the Khelo India Winter Games as a “symbol of new sporting confidence”, a sentiment echoed by athletes who say the platform has introduced accountability, year-round training and national pride into winter sports.
From Tourist Hub to Sporting Capital
As competition day approaches, Gulmarg is rapidly transforming from a tourist hotspot into India’s winter sports capital, with skis carving through snow and athletes pushing physical limits. For four days, the famed resort town will stand at the centre of the country’s winter sports calendar.
