Army successfully defends Khelo India Winter Games team championship crown

Army successfully defended its team championship title at the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2026 , winning a total of nine gold medals, eight from the Gulmarg leg and maintaining its dominance across disciplines. The first leg of the Games was held in Ladakh from January 20–26, while the Gulmarg edition concluded with strong performances from multiple contingents.

On the final day, Army and Himachal Pradesh secured four gold medals each , while hosts Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Karnataka also featured among the gold medallists. The closing ceremony of KIWG 2026, organised by the J&K Sports Council and managed by the Sports Authority of India, is scheduled to take place at the Golf Course in Gulmarg.

In the medal standings, Himachal Pradesh emerged as runners-up , backed by consistent podium finishes. J&K managed to claim its first gold medal of the edition through Zubaid Ahmad Lone, who won the men’s giant slalom in snowboarding after a close contest with Army’s Vivek Rana. J&K finished with one gold and one silver, securing the 10th position overall.

In skiing events, Army dominated the Nordic category . In the men’s 15 km race, Mohammad Ali led an Army sweep with teammates Padma Namgail and Sunny Singh winning silver and bronze respectively. Armyman Mayank Panwar stood out with two gold medals in the slalom and giant slalom events, earning recognition as one of the top performers.

In snowboarding, Preeti Thakur of Himachal Pradesh achieved double gold , topping both the slalom and giant slalom events. Kajal Kumari Rai of CRPF also recorded strong results with two gold medals. Among women in the Nordic sprint (1.5 km), Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda of Karnataka claimed the top podium finish, continuing her consistent participation across editions.

The ski mountaineering relay events saw Army winning the men’s category, while Himachal Pradesh secured gold in the women’s relay. Overall, the Games witnessed strong competition across ski mountaineering, alpine skiing, snowboarding and Nordic skiing , highlighting growing participation and competitive standards in winter sports.