Gulmarg, Feb 25: Bhavani Thekkeda Nanjunda, a 30-year-old from Kodagu, Karnataka, clinched gold in the Nordic 1.5 km sprint at the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 in Gulmarg, adding to her two bronze medals in the 15-km and 10-km relays this season.

A latecomer to snow—seeing it for the first time at age 23—Bhavani overcame the lack of local infrastructure and training facilities to become India’s first woman to medal at a Federation Internationale de Ski et de Snowboard (FIS)-accredited cross-country skiing event. She has also represented India at the 2023 and 2025 Nordic World Championships and competed in all six editions of the Khelo India Winter Games.

She credits institutions like the Army’s High Altitude Warfare School, the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering, and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports for mentorship, as well as the Reliance Foundation, which supports six girls nationwide, including Bhavani.

“I myself had not even seen snow till I was 23,” she said. “If I could excel despite starting late, imagine what someone starting early can achieve with proper training.”

Bhavani now eyes the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Almaty, Kazakhstan, while inspiring young athletes from non-snow regions to pursue winter sports. Her victory reflects determination, family support, and the growing opportunities for winter sports in India.