The mascot and logo of the Khelo India Winter Games were launched on Tuesday (January 30). The first part of the Winter Games, a mouth-watering event for winter sports athletes, will be held in the 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. (More Sports News)

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 are 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, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) and Sujata Chaturvedi, Secretary (Sports), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

Among present were the Director General of Sports Authority of India, Sandip Pradhan among other senior officials from the Government of India and the two UTs.

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Information & Broadcasting, GoI, 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 contested 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. 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 above sea level. 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 the sports department of Ladakh. The mascot highlights the high-mountain development issues of the natives and the region’s fragile environment, and to highlight the importance of conservation efforts to protect the natural habitat of this beautiful big cat and ensure its survival.