KIWG-2026: Army maintains top spot

Gulmarg, Feb 24: The second leg of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG-2026) continued in Gulmarg on day 2 with intense competition across multiple snow and ice disciplines, while the Indian Army maintained its lead in the overall medal tally.
The overall KIWG medal standing details states that the Army leads the table with 13 medals, including 5 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals. Haryana holds second position with 7 medals, including 4 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze, while Maharashtra finished third with a total of 9 medals. Ladakh delivered a strong showing to secure fourth position with 11 medals, reflecting consistent performances in winter disciplines.
Himachal Pradesh and Telangana shared competitive positions with six medals each, followed by CRPF with four medals at seventh rank. Uttarakhand secured three medals, followed by Karnataka with nine overall medals largely driven by bronze finishes.
ITBP, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh have secured one gold medal each to feature on the medal table. Andhra Pradesh has won two silver medals, while Chandigarh has secured one silver and one bronze. Delhi and host Jammu and Kashmir have won one bronze medal each so far in the ongoing competitions.
The competitions began on Monday with the men’s Nordic skiing sprint, where Army athletes swept the podium. Sunny Singh clinched the gold medal, followed by Shubham Parihar with silver and Manjeet securing bronze, giving the Army an early lead in the Games.
In the women’s 15 km Nordic skiing event, CRPF’s Kajal Kumari delivered a strong performance to win gold, while her teammate Renu Dan secured silver. Karnataka’s Bhavani TN finished third to claim bronze.
The men’s snowboarding slalom further strengthened the Army’s position, with Vivek Rana winning gold and Kulwinder Sharma taking silver. Host Jammu and Kashmir opened its medal account through Vikar Ahmad Lone, who secured bronze.
Army athletes continued their dominance in the men’s Alpine giant slalom event, claiming a clean sweep of the podium. Mayank Panwar won gold, Baqir Hussain secured silver and Devendra Gurung finished with bronze.
In the women’s Alpine giant slalom, Himachal Pradesh’s Sandhya Thakur won gold, while Aanchal Thakur added a silver medal for the state. Karnataka’s Zia Aryan secured bronze to complete the podium.
The competitions on day 2 added further momentum, with additional gold medals decided in Nordic skiing and ski mountaineering events. CRPF’s Kajal Kumari Rai won her second consecutive gold in the women’s 10 km Nordic race, while Army skier Padma Namgail led an Army podium sweep in the men’s 10 km Nordic event. Uttarakhand and Maharashtra also entered the gold medal list through ski mountaineering victories.
Competitions are being held in Ski Mountaineering, Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Nordic Skiing, Ice Hockey and Ice Skating, attracting athletes from across the country.
Officials in Gulmarg said the games are witnessing strong participation with over 400 athletes from 25 States racing the slopes, reinforcing Gulmarg’s growing status as a premier winter sports destination in India. (KNO)