Snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg.
Credit: PTI Photo
Srinagar: After being postponed due to lack of snowfall, the fourth edition of Khelo India Winter Games are set to commence in Gulmarg in north Kashmir from February 21-26.
The first part of the games in two disciplines - ice hockey and speed skating - are currently going on in Leh, Ladakh, and will culminate on February 6.
The event, being organised by the Sports Authority of India in collaboration with the Olympic Ad Hoc Committee for Ski and Snowboard India and the Winter Games Association (WSA) Jammu and Kashmir with support from the J&K government, was postponed last month due to lack of snowfall in Gulmarg.
The athletes, coaches, spectators and people associated with holding the event, accustomed to the enchanting white backdrop, were anxiously waiting for the snowfall for over a month. The venue for the event as well as the rest of the Valley witnessed a prolonged dry spell for nearly two months as no major weather activity was recorded during the period.
The prolonged dry spell also surpassed the previous records as 40-day ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the harshest winter period in Kashmir which begins on December 21, was the driest-ever at all the places across the Valley this season.
However, after the culmination of a major cold period, all the places across the Valley experienced snowfall with over one feet of snowfall being recorded in Gulmarg.
Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul said the event is scheduled to be held from February 21 to 26, and players from different parts of the country will arrive at the venue from February 18.
The snowfall last week has restored the winter adventure at Gulmarg, which had stalled due to the persistent dry weather for more than a month. Post-snowfall, the rush of tourists has increased in Gulmarg and other tourist places in the Valley.
Last year, J&K won the team championship with 25 gold medals. Maharashtra with 11 gold medals and Himachal Pradesh with 10 finished second and third, respectively.