Khelo India Winter Games 2026 Day 1: Army dominate Gulmarg opener as CRPF and Himachal Pradesh claim gold

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Gulmarg, Feb 23: The Gulmarg leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 began in emphatic fashion on Monday (February 23) with the Army asserting early dominance by winning three of the five gold medals on offer. CRPF and Himachal Pradesh also made a strong impact, finishing among the gold medallists on a competitive opening day marked by upsets and emotional triumphs.

It was a challenging day for established stars, as favourites such as Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda of Karnataka and Aanchal Thakur of Himachal Pradesh were beaten by athletes who have been in strong form on the national circuit.

Seventeen-year-old Jiah Aryan of Karnataka, one of India's promising Alpine skiing talents, clinched bronze in the women's Giant Slalom, her second appearance at the Khelo India Winter Games.

Competing against experienced skiers like Aanchal Thakur and Sandhya Thakur-both of whom have represented India at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin last year-Jiah showed composure beyond her years. Sandhya Thakur eventually edged out Aanchal in a close contest on the Kongdoori slopes to secure gold for Himachal Pradesh.

One of the most emotional moments of the day came in the women's 15km Nordic skiing event at the Gulmarg Golf Course, where CRPF's Kajal Kumari Rai produced a stunning performance to win gold. The Meghalaya-born skier pushed hot favourite Bhavani to bronze in a thrilling finish. Kajal dedicated her victory to her father, who passed away in February last year. Her teammate Renu Danu took silver, giving CRPF a memorable 1-2 finish.

Army's Sunny Singh claimed the first gold of the Games by winning the men's sprint in Nordic skiing. The Kathua-based skier, trained at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, led an Army clean sweep of the podium with Shubam Parihar and Manjeet finishing second and third respectively. Army further strengthened its dominance through Vivek Rana in men's Snowboarding Slalom and Mayank Panwar in men's Alpine Giant Slalom.

At the inauguration ceremony, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha described this edition of the Games as a "relay race" following the conclusion of the Winter Olympics. He highlighted the role of the Games in promoting national integration and sporting creativity.

"Our athletes can draw inspiration from Olympic legends like Mikaela Shiffrin and from Indian Olympians such as Arif Khan and Aanchal Thakur. Competing after the Winter Olympics makes this a special opportunity to test skills in demanding natural conditions," he said, adding that the Games were "a test of courage and character."

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged athletes to aim higher in the coming years. Emphasising long-term development, he said, "We want another Arif Khan to be born here. After six editions of the Khelo India Winter Games, the focus must shift towards winning medals at the Asian level. It is our responsibility to build infrastructure that can transform Gulmarg into an all-weather international ski destination through artificial snow generation."

With fierce competition and inspiring stories already emerging on Day 1, the Gulmarg leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 promises high-quality action and a platform for India's winter sports talent to flourish.

KIWG 2026 Gulmarg: Results - Day 1 (Finals)

Nordic Skiing

1. Men (Sprint, 1.5 km):
2. Sunny Singh (Army) - 3:06.83
3. Shubam Parihar (Army) - 3:07.35
4. Manjeet (Army) - 3:08.73

Women (15 km):

1. Kajal Kumari Rai (CRPF) - 52:08.29
2. Renu Danu (CRPF) - 53:10.81
3. Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda (Karnataka) - 53:20.44

Snowboarding (Men - Slalom):

1. Vivek Rana (Army) - 01:01.439
2. Kulvinder Sharma (Army) - 01:02.854
3. Vikar Ahmad Lone (J&K) - 01:03.174

Alpine Giant Slalom Men:

1. Mayank Panwar (Army) - 01:06.479
2. Baqir Hussain (Army) - 01:07.194
3. Devendra Gurung (Army) - 01:09.473

Alpine Giant Slalom Women:

1. Sandhya Thakur (Himachal Pradesh) - 01:23.285
2. Aanchal Thakur (Himachal Pradesh) - 01:23.985
3. Jiah Aryan (Karnataka) - 01:31.064