Gulmarg, Feb 25, 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, th...