Gulmarg, Feb 25: The spectacular display of five-day sports show of 4th edition of Khelo India Winter Games, 2024 came to an end on Sunday at an impressive closing ceremony at Golf Course Gulmarg.
Besides Secretary J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gull, who was the chief guest on the occasion, the ceremony was attended by CEO, Gulmarg Development Authority, Waseem Raja, GM Cable Car Corporation, SSP Traffic Rural, 6-time Olympian, athletes, officials and a large number of local people.
The 4th edition of KIWG crowned Army as new champions which clinched the top position with 10 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze medals followed by first runner up Karnataka with 9 gold & 2 silver medals and 2nd runner up Maharashtra with 7 gold, 8 silver & 7 bronze medals.
The J&K is placed at 9th position in the medal tally with 1 gold, 6 Silver and 4 bronze medals.
From hosts Shahid Ahmad Chach clinched sole gold medal in Verticle Ski Mountaineering while he also won silver in another discipline of Sprint and shared a bronze with three other colleagues in Ski Mountaineering Men Relay group.
Besides Chachi, Shazi Hassan, Sobia Nabi, Shaista Shabir & Vikar also bagged silver medals in Ski Mountaineering Women Sprint, Alpine Skiing Women Slalom and Alpine Skiing Women Parallel and Men Parallel Slalom respectively.
Also, J&K bagged another Silver in Ski Mountaineering Women Relay in which Shazia Hassan, Maryam Farooq and Noorian Latief teamed up to display enthusiastic spirit to clinch the title.
Further, four bronze medals also came in the bucket of J&K including one from Men Relay Ski Mountaineering team and three others were scored by Gousia Gulzar, Mehraj ud Din Bhat and Mehraj Ud Din Khan in individual events.
Speaking at the concluding ceremony, Secretary, Sports Council, Nuzhat Gull expressed gratitude to the Officers and Officials of Divisional Administration, District Administration, Civil Departments and security agencies for rendering their services for successful conduct of 4th Edition of Khelo India Winter Games.
She also thanked athletes who came from different parts of the country and displayed their talent and sprit of sportsmanship.
She maintained that athletes participating in KIWG are realizing the dream of Prime Minister, Narander Modi.
“khelo India Games are providing platform to youth from grassroot level to showcase their talent and compete at national level”, she said.
Speaking about the importance of KWIG in cultural enrichment, she said, “these games are helping in the exchange of culture, tradition and languages among athletes and enhance their vision and confidence”.
While appreciating the Local & national media for wide coverage of the event she conveyed the appreciation message of Union Minister of Youth Services & Sports Anurag Thakur for the positive & pivotal role played by the media.
She also thanked all Olympians for officiating the Khelo India Winter Games and enabling professional conduct of national event in which 600 athletes & officials participated.
CEO, Gulmarg Development Authority Waseem Raja also expressed his gratitude to the departments and service providers for successful conduct of KIWG.
The mementos & appreciation certificates were also distributed among the guests and service providers.
Karnataka, Maharashtra secure top spots in medal tally
The 4th Edition of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) reached its grand finale on Sunday in Gulmarg. Secretary of the Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul, extended her heartfelt gratitude to the multifaceted team of officers, officials, and security agencies whose dedication ensured the resounding success of this sporting extravaganza.
The closing ceremony, graced by luminaries including the Secretary of the J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul, witnessed the triumphant Army team being crowned as the new champions. With a commendable tally of 10 gold, 5 silver, and 6 bronze medals, the Army emerged as the undisputed frontrunner. Following closely, Karnataka secured the first runner-up position with 9 gold and 2 silver medals, while Maharashtra claimed the second runner-up spot with 7 gold, 8 silver, and 7 bronze medals.
Jammu and Kashmir, proudly perched at the 9th position in the medal tally, showcased its talent with 1 gold, 6 silver, and 4 bronze medals. Shahid Ahmad Chach shone brightly, clinching a solitary gold medal in Vertical Ski Mountaineering, along with a silver in Sprint, and sharing a bronze in Ski Mountaineering Men Relay.
The state’s athletes, including Shazi Hassan, Sobia Nabi, Shaista Shabir, and Vikar, contributed significantly with their silver medal performances in various disciplines. Notably, the silver in Ski Mountaineering Women Relay was secured through the spirited efforts of Shazia Hassan, Maryam Farooq, and Noorian Latief.
Secretary Nuzhat Gul lauded the athletes for embodying the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stressing that the Khelo India Games provide a vital platform for youth to showcase their talent and compete nationally. She underscored the games’ role in cultural enrichment, fostering exchanges of culture, tradition, and language among athletes, thus enhancing their vision and confidence.
Additionally, J&K added four bronze medals to its tally, including one in the Men Relay Ski Mountaineering team and three in individual events by Gousia Gulzar, Mehraj ud Din Bhat, and Mehraj Ud Din Khan.
Acknowledging the pivotal role of the media, both local and national, Secretary Gul conveyed Union Minister of Youth Services & Sports Anurag Thakur’s appreciation for their extensive coverage. The CEO of Gulmarg Development Authority, Waseem Raja, echoed gratitude to all departments and service providers for the successful conduct of KIWG.
