Khelo India Winter Games Postponed in Kashmir Due to Insufficient Snowfall
Srinagar, February 17, 2025 – The second leg of the 5th Khelo India Winter Games, scheduled to be held in Gulmarg from February 22 to 25, has been postponed due to insufficient snowfall in the region. The event, which was set to feature snow sports such as alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, and snowboarding, will be rescheduled once the snow conditions improve and a fresh assessment is completed.
Rauf Tramboo, president of the Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir, stated, “We have decided to postpone the event as key ski slopes lack sufficient snow.” The slopes in Gulmarg typically receive seven to eight feet (about 2 meters) of snowfall, but this year’s snowfall has been significantly lower.
The postponement highlights the broader impact of climate change on the region, with Kashmir experiencing a 79% rainfall deficit so far this year. Experts fear that the prevailing hot and dry weather could also affect the horticulture sector, cause forest fires, and dry up lakes.
The new dates for the Khelo India Winter Games will be announced once the weather improves and a fresh assessment is conducted. The first phase of the Games, which included ice events like hockey and skating, took place in Leh from January 23 to 27.
