Gulmarg All Set For 3rd Edition Of Winter Sports

Srinagar, Jan 03: The 3rd edition of the Khelo India Winter Games at Gulmarg will begin from the first week of February for which all preparations have been finalized, a top government official said on Tuesday.
Around 2000 athletes and guests from across the country are scheduled to participate in the mega sports event, one of the many efforts aimed at engaging the youth in positive and constructive activities.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir, Tourism Secretary Sarmand Hafeez said that all preparations for winter sports in Gulmarg have been made and that the games will begin in the first week of February.
“We are expecting a large number of participants this year to make the third edition of the winter games successful,” Sarmad said, adding that the winter games at Gulmarg will boost skiing.
Winter sports will also be an inspiration for our children, and the basic winter games have already been started for various courses, the Tourism Secretary said.
The prominent sports activities that will be the hallmark of the winter games include snowshoe races, ice skating, ice hockey, skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, ski mountaineering, ice stocking, etc.
Some courses have already been started by Youth Services and Sports and Adventurous Sports tourism. This year, the slopes have also been upgraded to provide a better experience for participants.
“This year, players from various states and UTs across the country will compete, and we are hoping for a better season,” Hafeez added.
Afarwat Downs, which is also the highest ski point in the world, attracts skiers from all over the world. “This year, we are also expecting a huge number of international skiers. These places provide a better experience for snowboarders and skiers,” he said.
Gulmarg is also a popular tourist destination, and it consistently ranks first in terms of where most tourists go to have fun.
The previous year, as many as 14.5 lakh tourists visited Gulmarg, which was the highest in the Kashmir Valley.
The event would be organized by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with the J&K Sports Council and the Winter Games Association of J&K.