The 1st Leg of Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2026 was held in Ladakh from 20 Jan -26 Jan 2026 with a participation of 438 athletes, 84 Support Staff, 60 Technical Officials, 14 SSVs & 11 CDMs.Team Haryana was on the Top with 7 Medals ( 4 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze), Team Ladakh secured second position on the medal tally with 11 Medals ( 2 Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze), Team Maharashtra secured third position on the medal tally with 7 Medals (2 Gold,3 Silver, 2 Bronze).
The key features of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2026 are as follows:
- No. of Sports Discipline: Ice Hockey and Ice Skating
- No. of cities: 01
- Age Category: Open
- Opening Ceremony: 20 Jan 2026
- No. of Event Days – 7 days
- No. of Participants – Approx. 912 (including 438 + Athletes)
| S.No | Particular | Number |
| 1 | Athletes | 438 |
| 2 | TOs | 60 |
| 3 | Support Staff | 84 |
| 4 | SSV | 14 |
| 5 | Competition Manager | 2 |
| 6 | CDM & NO | 14 |
| 7 | Officials | 300 |
| Total | 912 |
- Broadcast: The Games telecast live on Doordarshan
The details of the Games are as follows;
Medal at Stake
Gold: 17, Silver: 17, Bronze: 16
Medal Tally
| State | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Haryana | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Ladakh | 2 | 5 | 4 | 11 |
| Maharashtra | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
Men & Women Participation (Sports Wise)
| S.No | State/UT | Ice Hockey | Speed Skating | Grand Total |
| 1 | Haryana | 40 | 20 | 60 |
| 2 | Himachal Pradesh | 40 | 15 | 55 |
| 3 | Ladakh | 40 | 12 | 52 |
| 4 | Rajasthan | 39 | 8 | 47 |
| 5 | Chandigarh | 38 | 38 | |
| 6 | ITBP | 37 | 37 | |
| 7 | Telangana | 20 | 14 | 34 |
| 8 | Army | 20 | 20 | |
| 9 | Jammu and Kashmir | 16 | 2 | 18 |
| 10 | Madhya Pradesh | 14 | 14 | |
| 11 | Karnataka | 13 | 13 | |
| 12 | Andhra Pradesh | 11 | 11 | |
| 13 | Maharashtra | 11 | 11 | |
| 14 | Gujarat | 6 | 6 | |
| 15 | Tamil Nadu | 6 | 6 | |
| 16 | Uttarakhand | 6 | 6 | |
| 17 | Delhi | 3 | 3 | |
| 18 | Uttar Pradesh | 3 | 3 | |
| 19 | Chhattisgarh | 2 | 2 | |
| 20 | Kerala | 1 | 1 | |
| 21 | Punjab | 1 | 1 | |
| Grand Total | 290 | 148 | 438 |
Athlete Count State wise Gender wise
| S.No | State/UT | Female | Male | Grand Total |
| 1 | Haryana | 29 | 31 | 60 |
| 2 | Himachal Pradesh | 27 | 28 | 55 |
| 3 | Ladakh | 26 | 26 | 52 |
| 4 | Rajasthan | 23 | 24 | 47 |
| 5 | Chandigarh | 18 | 20 | 38 |
| 6 | ITBP | 17 | 20 | 37 |
| 7 | Telangana | 26 | 8 | 34 |
| 8 | Army | 20 | 20 | |
| 9 | Jammu and Kashmir | 1 | 17 | 18 |
| 10 | Madhya Pradesh | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| 11 | Karnataka | 4 | 9 | 13 |
| 12 | Andhra Pradesh | 1 | 10 | 11 |
| 13 | Maharashtra | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| 14 | Gujarat | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 15 | Tamil Nadu | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 16 | Uttarakhand | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 17 | Delhi | 3 | 3 | |
| 18 | Uttar Pradesh | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 19 | Chhattisgarh | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 20 | Kerala | 1 | 1 | |
| 21 | Punjab | 1 | 1 | |
| Grand Total | 190 | 248 | 438 |
Athlete Count State wise Gender wise Sports wise
| S.No | Sports | Female | Male | Grand Total |
| 1 | Ice Hockey | 134 | 156 | 290 |
| 2 | Speed Skating | 56 | 92 | 148 |
| Grand Total | 190 | 248 | 438 |
TOP medalists
| S.No. | Name | Number of Medals | Sport | Events | Medal Type |
| 1 | Skarma Tsultim | 4 | Speed Skating | Speed Skating Long Track 1000m | Gold |
| Speed Skating Long Track 500m | Silver | ||||
| Relay Women | Gold | ||||
| Relay Mixed | Silver | ||||
| 2 | Tasniya Shamim | 4 | Speed Skating | Relay Women | Gold |
| Speed Skating Long Track 1000m | Bronze | ||||
| Speed Skating Long Track 500m | Bronze | ||||
| Relay Mixed | Silver | ||||
| 3 | Ishaan Rahul Darvekar | 3 | Speed Skating | Relay Mixed | Gold |
| Speed Skating Short Track 500m | Silver | ||||
| Speed Skating Short Track 1000m | Gold | ||||
| 4 | Anvayee Deshpande | 3 | Speed Skating | Speed Skating Short Track 500m | Bronze |
| Speed Skating Short Track 1000m | Silver | ||||
| Relay Mixed | Gold | ||||
| 5 | Schaleen Joaquim Fernandes | 3 | Speed Skating | Relay Mixed | Gold |
| Speed Skating Short Track 500m | Silver | ||||
| Speed Skating Short Track 1000m | Bronze | ||||
| 6 | Sachin Singh | 2 | Speed Skating | Relay Men | Gold |
| Speed Skating Short Track 500m | Gold | ||||
| 7 | Srivatsa S Rao | 2 | Speed Skating | Speed Skating Long Track 1000m | Gold |
| Relay Men | Silver | ||||
| 8 | Omkara Yogaraj | 2 | Speed Skating | Relay Men | Silver |
| Relay Mixed | Bronze | ||||
| 9 | Raghavendra Gv | 2 | Speed Skating | Relay Mixed | Bronze |
| Relay Men | Silver | ||||
| 10 | Muthakani Vishnu Vardhan | 2 | Speed Skating | Speed Skating Short Track 500m | Bronze |
| Speed Skating Short Track 1000m | Silver | ||||
| 11 | Avikshit Vijay Viswanath | 2 | Speed Skating | Speed Skating Long Track 1000m | Silver |
| Speed Skating Long Track 500m | Gold | ||||
| 12 | Srija S Rao | 2 | Speed Skating | Relay Women | Silver |
| Relay Mixed | Bronze | ||||
| 13 | Nayana Sri Talluri | 2 | Speed Skating | Speed Skating Short Track 1000m | Gold |
| Speed Skating Short Track 500m | Gold | ||||
| 14 | Shabana Zara | 2 | Speed Skating | Speed Skating Long Track 1000m | Silver |
| Relay Women | Gold | ||||
| 15 | Sahasra Nelaturi | 2 | Speed Skating | Relay Women | Silver |
| Relay Mixed | Bronze |
Key facts of Khelo India Winter Games
- 6th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 took place in Leh, Ladakh, from 20–26 January 2026. It featured ice sports like ice hockey, speed skating, and, for the first time, figure skating competitions.
- The event showcased Ladakh’s readiness and resilience in hosting a large-scale, high-altitude national sports event — drawing praise from India’s Sports Minister and local leaders.
Inclusion of Figure Skating
- Figure skating made its competitive debut at the KIWG in 2026, an Olympic sport’s first inclusion at the Games.
- 20 figure skaters from 5 states and 2 UTs competed.
- Medal winners included standout performances by athletes from Haryana, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Ladakh, illustrating the sport’s expanding reach.
Ice Hockey & Speed Skating
- The Indian Army men’s ice hockey team claimed gold, edging Chandigarh 3-2 in a thrilling final that highlighted rising competitiveness in the sport.
- Chandigarh’s ice hockey teams also recorded historic silver (men’s) and bronze (women’s) medals; a significant feat given limited ice training facilities back home.
- States secured medals across speed skating events such as the 500 m long-track, with athletes from Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh taking golds alongside other podium finishers
Inspirational Personal Stories
A group of young girls from remote Zanskar achieved national recognition through figure skating at the KIWG 2026.
- Growing up playing on frozen ponds, they started seriously training only after meeting a volunteer coach, facing extreme weather and long journeys for training.
- Their hard work paid off: several medaled in the novice categories at the Games, inspiring youth back in their villages and expanding visibility for winter sports in rural Ladak
- Athletes like Padma Chorol (Ladakhi ice hockey player) attribute the rise of winter sport pathways, including national competitions and coaching access, to the Khelo India initiative.
Participation of Vishwaraj Rajen Jadeja in Khelo India Winter Games 2026
Vishwaraj Rajen Jadeja, one of India’s most experienced and decorated ice skaters, competed in the long-track ice skating events at the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 held in Leh (Ladakh). After years of training abroad and setting national records, he chose to participate in KIWG 2026 for the first time in a competitive event in India, thanks to the improved ice facilities created under the Khelo India initiative.
At the long-track event (men’s 1000 m) at Gupukh’s Pond, Jadeja finished eighth, placing in the top-10 among the field. He said his goal wasn’t necessarily to win but to showcase how far Indian ice skating has progressed with better infrastructure and competitive opportunities at home.
Jadeja also credited the Khelo India Winter Games for strengthening winter sports infrastructure and awareness in India — noting that the availability of quality ice tracks (like in Leh and Dehradun) made his participation possible and could help India aim for bigger international events in the future.
Infrastructure & Legacy
- Ladakh has invested in world-class facilities such as the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Ice Hockey Stadium, which now supports year-round training.
- Last year the NDS Stadium had natural ice, but this year it was fully artificial due to the installation of chillers.
- The region’s leadership aims to make Ladakh India’s winter sports capital, using KIWG momentum to attract sport tourism, youth participation, and future international events
Online / Broadcast Viewership
Live Streaming Availability
- The Opening Ceremony and events of KIWG 2026 were officially livestreamed on platforms of Doordarshan Sports (DD Sports) — meaning people across India could watch the Games free online and on TV through DD Sports channels and associated digital streams.
- In addition, several matches and highlights were shared on YouTube and social media (e.g., DD Sports, local government channels), increasing accessibility beyond traditional broadcast.
Offline / In-Person Attendance
- The NDS Stadium and other ice rinks in Leh (Ladakh) hosted the competitions with real crowds. Many local sports fans, families, and visitors attended matches in person, especially key ice hockey games and the figure skating debut.
- Children along with their mothers visited the NDS Stadium to watch matches during KIWG 2026.
Comparison in terms of Athletes participation (1st Leg)
| Particular | KIWG 2025 | KIWG 2026 |
| Athletes | 428 | 438 |
