The mascot and logo of Khelo India Winter Games were launched today. The first part of the Winter Games, a mouth-watering event for winter sports athletes, will be held in Union Territory of Ladakh for the first time from February 2-6. The second portion is scheduled in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir from February 21-25.
In keeping with the tradition and bio-diversity of the region, the mascot of the Khelo India Winter Games 2024 is a snow leopard. It has been named ‘Sheen-e She’ or Shan in Ladakh region.
The logo of the Games, prominent with the Indian tricolor, reflects the uniqueness of the picturesque land and the many sports that’s on the cards. The Games logo is complete with a Dharmachakra (turning wheel of Dharma) on a hilltop in Chanspa in Leh, the venue of the Games.
The logo and mascot were launched online in the presence of Lt. Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) and Shrimati Sujata Chaturvedi, Secretary (Sports), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. Among Also present were Director General of Sports Authority of India, Shri Sandip Pradhan among other senior officials from Government of India and the two UTs.
The Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Information & Broadcasting, GoI, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur will inaugurate the opening ceremony of the games at the NDS stadium, Leh on February 2. Two disciplines – ice hockey and speed skating – will be contest in three venues at Leh.
Brigadier Mishra welcomed the MYAS decision to let Ladakh host a portion of the Games for the first time. “Ladakh is the place to play winter games. We are making an honest start and we can only get better as hosts,” he said. Shri Sinha said it will be his fourth year with the Khelo India Winter Games in J&K and wished the Ladakh administration good luck as hosts.
The snow leopard is native to the high-altitude areas of J&K and Ladakh over 3200 meters. It is also found in other Himalayan states of India and high-altitude areas in neighbouring countries including Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, China, and Central Asia.
The idea to have a snow leopard as the mascot was taken by the J&K Sports Council and sports department of Ladakh. The mascot highlights high-mountain development issues of the natives, the region’s fragile environment as well as to address the importance of conservation efforts to protect the natural habitat of this beautiful big cat and ensure its survival for future.
The Khelo India Winter Games 2024 is the fourth edition of the annual event in the Khelo India calendar. The Union Territory of Ladakh is making its debut as hosts this year alongside the UT of Jammu & Kashmir, which has organised the Games from 2020. Leh will be the venue for the first part of the Games from February 2-6. The Games are scheduled to move to Gulmarg between February 21-25. While Ladakh will be conducting games — ice Hockey and speed skating — Jammu and Kashmir will conduct ski mountaineering, Alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic ski and gandola. The Khelo India Winter Games are part of the Khelo India Mission, a brainchild of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. It is the PM’s endeavor to give importance to all types of Olympic sports and produce a feeder channel of talented sportspersons who can shine for India at the highest levels of sporting excellence.
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