Ladakh’s Skarma Tsultim shines with four medals (including two gold); Maharashtra’s Ishan Darwekar, Telangana’s Naina Sri Talluri and Haryana’s Sachin Singh bag two golds each
Leh (Ladakh): The Indian Army successfully defended its men’s ice hockey gold medal at the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2026 after edging past a spirited Chandigarh side 3–2 in a nail-biting final at the NDS Stadium on Republic Day. The decisive goal came just three minutes before the final hooter, providing a dramatic and fitting conclusion to the Ladakh leg of the Games.
Chandigarh, which only began playing ice hockey from KIWG 2025, won widespread admiration for its fearless campaign. The team stunned hosts Ladakh 3–2 in the semifinal and carried that momentum into the final. Against the seasoned Army side, Chandigarh mounted a remarkable comeback after trailing by two goals and came close to forcing extra time. Their performance was especially notable considering they had suffered a 10–1 defeat against the Army in the league stage.
In the overall team standings, Haryana emerged as the champions of the Ladakh phase, powered by four gold medals won by their figure skating and ice skating athletes. Host Ladakh finished second, while Maharashtra secured third place. Telangana also delivered a strong showing.
Although Ladakh, Maharashtra and Telangana won two gold medals each, their final rankings were decided by the number of silver medals. Ladakh claimed second place with five silvers, followed by Maharashtra with three silvers and Telangana with two.
Among individual performers, Skarma Tsultim of Ladakh was the standout, winning a total of four medals, including two golds. Ishan Darwekar (Maharashtra), Naina Sri Talluri (Telangana) and Sachin Singh (Haryana) also impressed, each clinching two gold medals in their respective events.
The KIWG 2026 Ladakh leg once again underlined the rapid growth of winter sports in India, blending high-quality competition with inspiring underdog stories and reaffirming Ladakh’s status as the country’s winter sports hub.
