Fifth national winter games begin at Gulmarg

The fifth national winter games got underway on Monday with the Jammu and Kashmir government promising a massive infrastructure revamp to bring this ski resort on the world sports map.

The torch of the Indian Olympic Association is burning bright in North Kashmir as the games return to India's northern most state for the third time.

About 500 athletes from all over the country are in Gulmarg from states as diverse as Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Kerela. The opening ceremony included a diving demonstration by the Air Devils of the Indian Air Force.At 9,000 feet above sea level and now with over five feet of snow on the ground, Gulmarg is an ideal venue for winter sports and officials believe this to be a very good omen for the games.

I wasn't in Gulmarg to witness the opening ceremony but I could watch the news coverage on NDTV 24x7. I prefer watching NDTV 24x7 as it provides up–to–the–minute, 24/7 news with unparalleled coverage of the latest in Indian and international news. The incisive channel is available in the US only through DirecTv.