Excelsior Sports Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 17: The Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports (JIM&WS) has launched its Winter Series of Courses at the renowned winter destinations of Sonamarg and Gulmarg.
Officials said the winter courses, which began earlier this month, are a part of JIM&WS’s continued efforts to strengthen adventure sports infrastructure and training in J&K.
At present, two skiing courses are underway at Sonamarg with participation from defence personnel, NCC cadets and civilians from across the country, according to the officials.
The Basic Skiing Course-69 commenced on January 2 with 68 trainees enrolled, including 45 boys and 22 girls.
This was followed by the launch of a Special Skiing Course-11 (NCC) on January 7, in which 41 NCC cadets-31 boys and 10 girls-are undergoing training.
Simultaneously, officials, winter training activities are being conducted at world famous Gulmarg.
They said that a Special Basic Skiing Course-05 with 30 participants, including 24 boys and six girls, and a Basic Snowboarding Course-05 with 30 participants, comprising 23 boys and seven girls, began on January 4, 2026.
Officials said the courses are professionally structured to impart basic and advanced technical skills while maintaining high standards of safety, discipline and excellence.
“The programmes also aim to develop leadership qualities, resilience and teamwork among trainees.”
Sharing her experience at the Sonamarg camp, trainee Nandita Sharma said the programme was helping participants, especially first-time snow learners, acquire new skills.
“We learn mobility in snow through daily practice, starting with warm-up exercises and small slopes before moving to bigger ones. Skiing requires time and patience, and not everyone gets this opportunity,” she said.
Notably, JIM&WS is the first institute in the country to introduce a Winter Series of Courses at Sonamarg, an initiative launched in 2022 under challenging climatic conditions.
Since then, the institute has been consistently conducting winter training programmes at the site, training between 1,200 and 1,500 trainees annually in various skiing disciplines.
Principal of JIM&WS, Col Hem Chandra Singh, said the institute has been imparting training in skiing, mountaineering, river crossing, expeditions and paragliding.
“At present, around 120 trainees are undergoing training at Sonamarg, while about 60 are being trained at Gulmarg,” he said.
Highlighting the technical requirements for skiing, Col Singh said suitable slopes of around 45 degrees are needed, avalanche-prone areas must be avoided, and proper road connectivity is essential.
He also underlined the importance of skiing training for defence personnel deployed in mountainous regions. “In areas like Siachen, soldiers rely on skiing equipment for mobility,” he said.
Col Singh said J&K has immense potential for adventure sports, adding that people from different parts of the country are increasingly participating in such programmes.
He noted that areas such as Kishtwar and Bhaderwah also offer scope for developing skiing training facilities in the future.
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