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Research Article

Analytical Study

International Journal of Research Pedagogy and Technology in Education and Movement Sciences

2025 Volume 14 Number 01 JAN-MAR
Publisherwww.theuniversityacademics.com

An Analytical Study of Khelo India Winter Games

Choudhary S1*†, Singh S2†
DOI:https://doi.org/10.55968/ijems.v14i01.397

1*† Sneha Choudhary, Research Scholar, University of Kashmir, Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

2† Surjeet Singh, Sr Assistant Professor, University of Kashmir, Kasmir, Jammu and Kasmir, India.

Khelo India is one of the highest multi-disciplinary sport events for the Indian youth now a days and gaining popularity all over the world. The Khelo India Programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at gross root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country with an aim and objective of sports for peace and developing sports infrastructure in the country. After the grand success of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) and Khelo India University Games (KIUG) in India, the Union Ministry has included winter games in the Khelo India Programme (KIWG) with an aim to popularize winter games across the nation. After analysis we got to know the event is fulfilling the purpose of the programme by gaining popularity across the nation as youth is getting attracted to winter sports which lead a way to international arena of sports for them. This will lead Gulmarg ski resort Centre of Excellency for winter games. The purpose of this study is to analyze the KIWG edition from 2020-2023 related to its number of participants and medal tally and other factors related to the games and its positive impacts.

Keywords: Khelo India, Winter Games Participants, Sports Promotion, Medal Tally, Performance, KIUG, KIYG, KIWG.

Corresponding Author How to Cite this Article To Browse
Sneha Choudhary, Research Scholar, , University of Kashmir, Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Email: 		Choudhary S, Singh S. An Analytical Study of Khelo India Winter Games. ijems. 2025;14(01):42-47.
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https://ijems.net/index.php/ijem/article/view/397/
Manuscript Received Review Round 1 Review Round 2 Review Round 3 Accepted
2024-09-24 2024-09-26 2024-10-10 2024-10-21 2024-10-26
Conflict of Interest Funding Ethical Approval Plagiarism X-checker Note
Authors state no conflict of interest. Non Funded. The conducted research is not related to either human or animals use. 10 All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

© 2025by Choudhary S, Singh Sand Published by The University Academics. This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ unported [CC BY 4.0].

International Journal of Research Pedagogy and Technology in Education and Movement Sciences 2025;14(01)42
Download PDFBack To ArticleIntroductionReview of
Related Literature:Objectives of
the Study:Methodology:First Edition
of Khelo
India Winter
Games (KIWG)
2020Second Edition
of Khelo
India Winter
Games (KIWG)
2021Third Edition
of Khelo
India Winter
Games KIWG
(2023)Table-3Table-5Table-6Table-7Figure-1: Above
graph represents
the states
leading the
gold medal
tally in
the three
editions of
KIWG as
mentioned in
the above
table no
-4, 5
& 6.Figure-2:Above graph
represents the
gradual increase
in the
number of
participants from
the first
edition of
KIWG 2021
to third
edition of
KIWG 2023
as mentioned
in the
above table
no-7.Results/Findings &
Discussions of
the StudyAbbreviations:References
Analytical Study Khelo India Winter Games

Introduction

Sports and fitness have a great influence on individual life. Sporting activities foster teamwork, analytical and strategic thinking, leadership qualities, goal-setting, and risk-taking. A fit and healthy person serves to a healthy community and a powerful country. For the general advancement of our country, sports are a critical part. The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at grass-root level by building strong framework for all sports played in our country and establishing India as a great sporting nation (Singh & Bali, 2020). Khelo India games is popularly known as the mini–Olympic Games of India. With an aim to develop sports at grass root level in India the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has launched a Khelo India Scheme in the year 2017-2018. Since 2018 the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) are being conducted every year in different states including multi sports events in its programme. The first edition of KIYG was held at Delhi in the year 2018, national level multidisciplinary games for the youth of India. The scheme has helped the country to hunt the hidden talent and raise the standard of sports as it gives platform to young talent to excel in them

liked sports. It has benefitted thousands of sportsmen/women of the country living in urban as well as rural areas. With the huge success of KIYG The Union Ministry of Youth affairs and sports later initiated the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) in the year 2020. KIUG is a national level a multi-sport event held in India, where athletes from universities across the country compete in different sports discipline. This programme undoubtedly gives chance to Indian youth to play sports at highest level. With the huge success of KIYG and KIUG in India. The idea of holding the Khelo India winter games was conceived by the President Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir i.e. WGAJK, Abbas Wani Sir and persuaded by J&K sports council. The president WGAJK has submitted the detailed proposal to the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports through J&K sports council. Abbas. W. (Personal Communication, January 27, 2015). With the joint efforts of WGAJK and J&k Sports council and keeping in view the importance of Winter Games in the Himalayan States, Kiren Rijiju sir was kind enough and liberal to include winter games in his Khelo India Program.

The proposal of Khelo India Winter Games finally got the grants with an aim to popularize the Winter Games in India at par with Summer Games as well as making India presence in the international winter games arena (Yusuf, 2021). In this way the KIWG came into being. KIWG is also national level multidisciplinary winter games in India like KIYG and KIUG. Appreciably the first edition of KIWG was held at most preferred ski resort Gulmarg- Kashmir in the first week of March 2020.

As limited literature is available on this study, the researcher has gone through newspapers, articles, websites and other online sources for the review. The researcher has also witnessed the 2023 Khelo India Winter games and had some personal communication with the Chief Patron and other members of Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir regarding this study.

Ali (2022) conducted a study an analytical study of performance and success rate of Indian athletes in Asian games. The study was conducted with a purpose to analyze the success rate of Indian athlete in different Asian games from 1951 to 2018.

Motghare et al., (2015) conducted an analytical study of first Asian games held in India during 1951. The study was conducted with an objective to analyze the performance and skill of Indian players in different sports events in the first Asian games and also analyze the no of participants and also compare the medal tally of Indian athletes with other nation participants in Asian games.

Singh & Bali (2020) Play India Youth Games (Khelo India): Scheme for Promotion of Sports in India. The study was conducted with a aim to explore the contents of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) such as details of its financial implications, medal tally, participants, infrastructure, sports events, administration and its overall monitoring.

Objectives of the Study:

  • To analyse the status of Khelo India Winter Games with relation to its origin, snow sports discipline included in all the edition of KIWG, participation level of athletes, medal tally in the three editions of
  • To analyse the future growth and promotion of Winter Games in India with the medium of Khelo India Winter

International Journal of Research Pedagogy and Technology in Education and Movement Sciences 2025;14(01)43
Analytical Study Khelo India Winter Games

Methodology:

For the purpose of this research paper, the data collection for the analytical study of the KIWG editions 2020-2023 is totally dependent on the primary and secondary sources. The analysis of the study is totally dependent on the information i.e. quantitative as well as qualitative received from different sources. The factors beyond the control of researcher are excluded from this study. Primary and secondary sources of information includes: websites, newspapers, news articles, magazines/Souvenirs, Personal interactions with participants of KIWG and organizing members with an aim to put the information of KIWG related to its number of participants in the three successful editions and its medal tally and snow sports disciplines included (below table no-1,2 &3) in the three editions of KIWG into right perspective. Quantitative data gathered will be presented in the form of tables and graph mentioned in the study in a systematic way as table no 4, 5, 6 and 7 and Graph as Fig-1.

First Edition of Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2020

The first edition of KIWG was held at most preferred ski resort in India Gulmarg and Leh, Jammu and Kashmir in March 2020 which was organized by the Jammu and Kashmir sports council and Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir with the support of Union ministry of Sports with an aim to popularize winter games among the youth across the country. Total 17 snow sports discipline was included in the first edition of KIWG in both Men and Women category as mentioned below in the table no-1. In the first edition of Khelo India winter games the events categorized into different age groups i.e. Sub-Junior, Junior and Senior category.

Table-1

S.noSnow Sports discipline included in 1st edition ofKIWG (Both men and women)
2Alpine Skiing
2Nordic skiing
3Ice hockey
4Snowboarding
5Skidoo Race
6Speed Skating
7Figure Skating
8Ski mountaineering
9Ice stock
10Snowshoeing
11Bandy
12Bobsleigh
13Skeleton
14Skibob
15Snowshoeing
16Snow rugby
17Snow baseball

Second Edition of Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2021

After successful holding of biggest ever snow sports event left everybody connected to winter sports and by marking first of its kind event in India. This has led second edition of KIWG in February 2021 which were inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The second edition of KIWG again held at Gulmarg Ski resort with a purpose of taking winter sports in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to new heights and promoting Gulmarg as best Winter sports destination in the country. Second edition of KIWG is organized by Jammu and Kashmir sports council and its ally Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir. Total 14 snow sports discipline was included in the 2nd edition of KIWG as mention below in the Table-2. In the second edition of KIWG the events categorized into different age groups.

Table-2

S.noSnow Sports discipline included in 2nd edition of KIWG(Both Men and Women’s)
1Alpine Skiing
2Nordic Skiing
3Snowboarding
4Ski mountaineering
5Snowshoeing
6Ice stock
7Ice Hockey
8Figure skating
9Speed skating
10Snow sledge
11Skibob
12Curling
13Snow derby
14Snow rugby

Third Edition of Khelo India Winter Games KIWG (2023)

As Union minister of Youth


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Analytical Study Khelo India Winter Games

affairs and Sports declared that KIWG will be conducted at Gulmarg ski resort every year which is popularly known as mecca of snow sports in India. The snow covered slopes here offers a prefect platform for hosting winter Sports. The third edition of KIWG 2023 was jointly organized by Union ministry of youth affairs and sports, Jammu and Kashmir sports council and Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir at Gulmarg Ski resort in the second week of February 2023. The KIWG third edition inaugurated by Anurag Thakur Union minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. Total 11 Snow sports disciplines were included in the 3rd edition of KIWG as listed below in table no-3. The participants all across the country has participated in the third edition of Khelo India with full enthusiasm.

Table-3

S.noSnow Sports included in 3rd edition ofKIWG (Both Men and Womens)
1Alpine Skiing
2Nordic Skiing
3Curling
4Ski mountaineering
5Ice skating
6Bandy
7Skeleton
8Bobsleigh
9Ice hockey
10Snowboarding
11Snowshoeing

Table- 4

S.noState/  SportsBoard/UTGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1J&k26292176
2Services86721
3Uttarakhand52613

Above table represents the medal tally in the first edition of KIWG 2020

Table-5

S.noState/UT/SportsBoardGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1J&k881329
2Himachal Pradesh69318
3Uttrakhand2103
4Bihar1012
5Maharashtra1001

Above table represents the medal tally in the second edition of KIWG 2021.

Table-6

S.noState/UT/ SportsBoardGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1J&K26252576
2Maharashtra138627
3Himachal Pradesh1014731
4Services1010929
5Haryana8101331

Above table represents the medal tally in the third edition of KIWG 2023

Table-7

YearTotal Number of Participants in Three Edition ofKIWG (Both Male and Female).
1st edition 2020995
2nd edition 20211375
3rd edition 20231580

Above table represents the total no participants in the first, second and third edition of KIWG

397img01.png

Figure-1: Above graph represents the states leading the gold medal tally in the three editions of KIWG as mentioned in the above table no -4, 5 & 6.

397img02.png


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Analytical Study Khelo India Winter Games

Figure-2:Above graph represents the gradual increase in the number of participants from the first edition of KIWG 2021 to third edition of KIWG 2023 as mentioned in the above table no-7.

Results/Findings & Discussions of the Study

  • The researcher has found that the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has included winter games in its Khelo India Program with an objective to promote and popularize winter games in India. Hosting such big events in Union territory is very helpful in developing infrastructure of winter games in the region.
  • Such events encourage the youth especially local youth towards a better future in the field of sports which is the ultimate objective of Khelo India Winter
  • The government has included winter games in the Khelo India Program with the aim to popularize winter sports not only in Himalayan States like Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Jammu and Kashmir but across the nation. The researcher has personally witnessed during the third edition of KIWG 2023 athletes from the states/U.T/sports board like Delhi, ITBP, Army, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha are participating that shows a very positive impact for the future of Winter Games in
  • As per our findings we can see the gradual increase in the number of participants from the First Edition to Third Edition of games especially the States like Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bihar are making it to the medal tally as mentioned above in the tables 4,5 and
  • Athletes across the nation are participating in the KIWG with full enthusiasm which will help them to board in international arena of sports like Winter Olympic Games, Winter Asian Games
  • The researcher has found that KIWG helps to grow snow sports from grass root to highest level and make Gulmarg ski resort centre of excellence and also paves the way for India to become capable of hosting international winter games in the
  • By holding such mega sporting events in Jammu and Kashmir enhance the sports infrastructure in the state and winter sports would certainly go a long way in further promoting winter sports tourism in

Abbreviations:

  1. KIYG- Khelo India Youth
  2. KIUG- Khelo India University
  3. KIWG- Khelo India Winter
  4. WGAJK- Winter Games Association of Jammu and

References

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