Zanskar range

The Khelo India Winter Games: India’s top skaters believe the start of the Khelo India Winter Games in Ladakh could be a gamechanger for ice-sports although a lot remains to be done.

Shruti Kotwal, India’s first professional long track skater based in the United States, and Akash Aradhya, a veteran in short-track sprinting, feel the recently concluded KIWG at Leh held out significant promises for skaters with long-term aspiration.

In ice-skating, Kotwal and Aradhya, have been there, done that and are seeing the transformation of winter sports in India. With plenty of international experience behind them, Shruti Kotwal and Akash Aradhya, who won a pair of long track and short track Khelo India Winter Games 2024 gold medals each in Leh, think the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) ice rink, in the heart of Leh, could become the headquarters of ice sports if it can become an all-weather centre.