The first leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 will begin today in Leh, Ladakh. More than 1000 men and women athletes, including coaches and technical officials, will participate in this edition. The new attraction of this year is the introduction of figure skating, an Olympic event. 472 athletes will take part in two ice sports – skating and hockey.

Speaking about the game, Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said that the Khelo India Winter Games will create an avenue for athletes to compete and excel in winter sports and urged athletes to utilise the platform. He added that in the months ahead, the games will continue to expand with multiple formats, beginning with the Khelo India Tribal Games next month and followed by other variants across the country. Dr Mandaviya said that the government has already finalised the calendar of the Khelo India games.

He said that the Khelo India games will be a game-changer in strengthening the domestic sporting ecosystem and providing multiple opportunities for deserving athletes to compete, progress, and achieve excellence. The first leg of the winter games is being organised by the Youth Services and Sports department of Ladakh under the supervision of the Sports Authority of India.