The second leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 concluded in Gulmarg with a spectacle of endurance, speed and technical precision, bringing the curtains down on a six-day winter sporting showcase split between Leh and Jammu & Kashmir.
The finale not only celebrated individual brilliance but also reaffirmed institutional dominance at the highest level of Indian winter sport.
The final medal tally reflected both continuity and change in the national winter sports landscape:
🥇 Army – 9 Gold | 6 Silver | 8 Bronze | 23 Total
🥈 Himachal Pradesh – 6 Gold | 7 Silver | 1 Bronze | 14 Total
🥉 Haryana – 4 Gold | 1 Silver | 2 Bronze | 7 Total
As documented in the official Games summary , the 2026 edition marked the sixth staging of the Khelo India Winter Games and featured approximately 900 athletes from 25 States, Union Territories and institutional teams competing across ice and snow disciplines.
The Indian Army once again demonstrated why it remains the benchmark in winter sport preparation. Eight of its nine gold medals came during the snow-leg in Gulmarg, underlining its depth in Nordic skiing, alpine events and ski mountaineering.
The Army’s Nordic squad was particularly dominant. In the men’s 10km Nordic race, the podium sweep exemplified institutional conditioning and high-altitude preparedness. Their athletes also controlled the longer endurance formats, including the 15km event, where disciplined pacing and superior skiing technique separated them from the field.
Such dominance is not accidental. With access to high-altitude training bases and structured athletic programs, the Army continues to benefit from year-round conditioning infrastructure an edge that is becoming increasingly decisive as winter sports grow more technical.
This victory marked the Army’s third consecutive overall title, reinforcing its institutional grip on the championship.
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If the Army symbolised institutional control, Himachal Pradesh represented the rise of state-backed technical expertise. Finishing second with 14 medals, Himachal’s performance was built on consistency across alpine skiing and snowboarding.
In the women’s alpine events, Himachal athletes showcased technical sharpness through controlled gate transitions and composure on icy slopes. Snowboarding also proved to be a stronghold, particularly in the slalom and giant slalom categories, where balance, edge control and risk management played critical roles.
Himachal’s medal distribution six golds and seven silvers suggests depth rather than isolated excellence. The state has steadily invested in grassroots winter training programs and benefits from natural snow infrastructure in the Himalayan belt. That investment is now translating into podium finishes.
The narrowing gap between Himachal and the Army reflects the evolving competitiveness of Indian winter sports.
Haryana’s third-place finish was largely consolidated during the ice-leg in Leh. With four gold medals, the state capitalised on figure skating and ice disciplines introduced more formally into the Winter Games ecosystem.
The inclusion of figure skating overseen by international technical officials to ensure scoring integrity signalled diversification in India’s winter portfolio. Haryana’s skaters delivered disciplined routines across novice and advanced categories, earning crucial early points in the overall standings.
Ice hockey and speed skating also generated strong competitive moments in Leh, with host contingents drawing significant local support. While Ladakh and other states showed promise, Haryana’s early momentum ensured it stayed within the top three by the time the snow events concluded.
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The 2026 edition once again operated in a two-leg format ice sports in Leh and snow sports in Gulmarg. This structural division, as outlined in the Games report , allowed optimal use of specialised infrastructure such as the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Stadium in Leh and the Kongdoori slopes in Gulmarg.
The separation ensures competitive integrity, as ice disciplines demand entirely different technical preparation compared to alpine and Nordic skiing. The model also spreads economic benefits across two high-altitude regions, strengthening the sports-tourism linkage central to the national winter strategy.
Beyond the top three, the medal table revealed encouraging signs of geographic diversification. Maharashtra, Ladakh, Karnataka, Telangana and Uttarakhand all secured podium finishes in various disciplines.
Southern states, despite lacking natural snowfall, are increasingly competitive due to artificial ice rinks and targeted development programs. This reflects the broader democratisation of winter sport participation. Institutional teams such as CRPF and ITBP also made significant contributions, particularly in endurance skiing. Their presence adds professional rigour and competitive balance to the Games. Compared to earlier editions, performance standards appear to be rising steadily. Timings in Nordic events have improved, and technical execution in alpine skiing shows better race management.
One of the most striking aspects of this edition was the internal competition within leading contingents. Himachal’s alpine events saw tight margins between teammates, while the Army’s Nordic squad featured multiple athletes capable of podium finishes.
Such internal depth is critical if India aims to transition from national-level winter sport growth to international competitiveness.
The 2026 Games were staged under the broader policy framework aiming to position the Himalayan region as a winter sports hub. Announcements regarding the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for winter disciplines indicate long-term planning.
The integration of sports tourism, cultural programming and extended festival formats for future editions reflects ambition beyond competitive sport. The vision is to create sustained winter sporting ecosystems rather than isolated annual events. The Khelo India Winter Games 2026 concluded not merely with a medal tally, but with a clear statement about the trajectory of Indian winter sports.
The Army reaffirmed its dominance with 23 medals. Himachal Pradesh demonstrated that state systems are rapidly closing the gap. Haryana capitalised on ice disciplines to secure a strong podium finish. More importantly, the competitive margins are tightening, the talent pool is widening, and the structural framework supporting winter sport is strengthening.
As the snow settled over Gulmarg at the close of competition, the message was unmistakable: Indian winter sport is no longer experimental it is organised, competitive, and increasingly ambitious.
