Khelo India Winter Games embody ideals of peace, unity: L-G Sinha

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the Khelo India Winter Games embody the enduring sporting ideals of peace, equality and camaraderie, and serve as a powerful platform for strengthening national unity.

Inaugurating the sixth edition of the Games at Gulmarg, the Lieutenant Governor welcomed the participating athletes and team officials from across the country and extended his best wishes for the tournament.

He said the Winter Games in Gulmarg have evolved from a sporting competition into a national celebration. “Khelo India Winter Games revive the sporting spirit’s ideals of peace, equality and camaraderie. In our vibrant and diverse nation of myriad languages, cultures and traditions, the Winter Games serve as a universal language and shared heritage,” Sinha said.

Highlighting the life lessons inherent in sports, he noted that the Games mirror life’s challenges and build resilience. “Falling, analysing errors and rising improved — these are the true lessons of sport, and ones the skiers will live here,” he said.

Emphasising that the broader aim of the Khelo India initiative is to strengthen national unity, the Lieutenant Governor said healthy competition fosters both excellence and mutual respect. “Intense rivalry yields shared conversations and lasting friendships, proving that competition and respect can coexist. Our people need this ethos now more than ever,” the L-G observed.

“As you race down these ski slopes, remember that diversity is our strength, not division. Our languages may differ, but our goals and values unite us. When athletes from different states train together, compete fiercely and cheer for one another, barriers of language, culture and region dissolve before the sporting spirit,” he added.

The Lieutenant Governor remarked that winter sports, in particular, demand exceptional skill and endurance. “Winter Games pit skiers against nature itself. Excelling requires technical mastery, composure built over years of practice, unyielding resolve and extraordinary endurance. Over the coming days, we will witness these qualities on display,” he said.

He urged athletes to uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship and give their best throughout the four-day tournament. “True character is revealed not only in victory but also in adversity. A real athlete remains humble in triumph and dignified in defeat,” Sinha said.

The Lieutenant Governor added that the success of the Games would not be measured by medals alone. “At the closing ceremony on February 26, the success of the sixth Khelo India Winter Games will be judged by the spirit of unity, mutual respect and relentless pursuit of excellence that participants carry back with them,” he said.

The four-day event at the country’s premier winter sports destination is witnessing the participation of around 1,000 athletes and officials from various states and Union Territories, competing across multiple disciplines.