Leh, Jan 28: The Indian Army men’s ice-hockey team were stretched to their limits before edging out a fearless Chandigarh side 3–2 to retain the gold medal at the Khelo India Winter Games 2026. The gripping final, played at a packed NDS Stadium on Republic Day, provided a fitting climax to the Ladakh leg of the Games.
With just three minutes left on the clock, Army found the decisive goal to seal victory, but not before Chandigarh had turned the contest into a nerve-racking battle. The final whistle sparked celebrations among the Army camp, while Chandigarh earned admiration for a display that underlined their rapid rise in the sport.
The new-look NDS Stadium, with a seating capacity of 5,000 and a covered roof, was filled well before the face-off. The atmosphere matched the occasion as Army struck first in the sixth minute through Padma Namgail, whose long-range effort beat the Chandigarh goalkeeper. Four minutes later, Tsewang Dorjay doubled the lead with a powerful push into the far corner.
Chandigarh, however, refused to fade. The second period passed without goals, marked instead by clean and skill-based hockey from both sides. The final quarter belonged to the challengers, who stunned Army with two goals in quick succession. Gurtej Singh Bhatti reduced the gap with eight minutes remaining before Birshahaanjit Singh levelled the score with a clever flick from behind the goal. The equaliser was confirmed after a lengthy video review, adding to the tension inside the stadium.
Shaken by the comeback, Army pressed hard in the closing minutes. Their experience finally told when Padma Norboo capitalised on a rare lapse in the Chandigarh defence to score the winning goal from distance.
Chandigarh head coach Gaurav Raheja praised his team’s effort despite the defeat. He said the journey had been special for his players and promised stronger preparation in the coming year, with the aim of challenging for titles at higher levels.
Birshahaanjit Singh, who scored the equaliser, credited his background in inline hockey for his control and confidence on ice. In only his second season of ice hockey, he felt the team had moved forward from their fifth-place finish last year and believed they would be stronger contenders in the next edition.
Army’s Padma Namgail admitted his side came under pressure after the scores were level. He acknowledged Chandigarh’s performance and said the final served as a reminder that no opponent could be taken lightly.
Earlier in the day, Republic Day action began with the 2000 metres short track mixed relay in ice skating. Maharashtra emerged winners with a time of 3:22.47 seconds, ahead of hosts Ladakh and Karnataka. The Maharashtra quartet of Ishaan Darvekar, Anvayee Deshpande, Sohan Tarkar and Schaleen Fernandes showed superior coordination to claim the top spot.
At the end of the Ladakh phase, Haryana finished as team champions, driven by four gold medals from their figure and ice skaters. Ladakh, Maharashtra and Telangana secured two gold medals each, with Ladakh finishing higher due to a better silver medal count.
Ladakh’s Skarma Tsultim ended the competition with four medals, while Maharashtra’s Darvekar and Deshpande also enjoyed productive outings. Telangana’s Nayana Sri Talluri and Haryana’s Sachin Singh added two gold medals each to their tally.
National coach Mohammad Abbas Nordak noted a clear rise in the standard of ice skating compared to previous editions. He pointed to improved timing, technique and consistency across events and stressed the need for international exposure to help Indian skaters prepare for tougher competition ahead.
