Excelsior Sports Correspondent
LEH, Jan 22: Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 are starting in Ladakh from tomorrow and 19 teams from States, Union Territories and institutional outfits will compete over five days in two events – ice-hockey and ice-skating.
This will be the first part of KIWG 2025. The second part, featuring snow games like skiing, will be hosted by J&K from February 22-25.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya will be in attendance at the opening ceremony at the iconic Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Sports Complex in Leh on Thursday and will declare the games open.
Dr. Mandaviya will be joined by a host of dignitaries including Brigadier Dr. B.D Mishra, Lt. Governor of Ladakh and senior officials of Sports Authority of India and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.
A traditional, Ladhaki-style opening has been planned to welcome 594 participants, of which 428 will be athletes.
This will be the second time Ladakh will be hosting the winter Games, into its fifth edition.
All teams have arrived in Leh and Himachal Pradesh has the biggest contingent comprising 78 athletes and support staff, Haryana, 62; hosts Ladakh, 52 and Maharashtra, 48 will compete in the Ladakh edition. Uttarakhand, which will be hosting the National Games later this month, has the smallest team comprising one solitary athlete.
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