Kargil: The Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM), under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Tourism, Ladakh, for opening a new IISM branch at Kargil, marking a major step towards expanding organized winter sports and adventure tourism in the region.
The collaboration is expected to create opportunities for professional ski and adventure-sports training, skill development and greater participation of local youth while supporting efforts to establish Kargil as a winter tourism destination.
The MoU was exchanged at IISM Gulmarg between IISM Principal Col. Thapa and Ladakh Tourism Secretary Sanjit Rodrigues in the presence of Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and Dr Ashish Chandra Verma, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, J&K.
Under the collaboration, IISM will extend its training and institutional expertise to Kargil, utilizing the region’s available slopes for winter sports and related activities.
The move is significant for Kargil, which has sought greater development of its winter and adventure tourism potential. The Ladakh Administration had earlier highlighted the need to operationalize an IISM branch in Kargil to facilitate organized winter sports activities, professional alpine skiing training and skill-development opportunities for local youth.
IISM’s own website lists snow skiing and other adventure courses among its activities and says the opening of a Kargil branch is aimed at promoting adventure tourism in Ladakh.
The institute has also been conducting courses in Kargil, with its 2026-27 schedule including a 10-day trekking course in Kargil in August.
The new institutional arrangement is expected to strengthen winter-sports training in Kargil and provide local youth with access to structured courses in skiing, mountaineering and other adventure activities.
The initiative also comes amid efforts by the Ladakh Administration to develop Kargil as a year-round adventure tourism destination, with proposals including the development of ski slopes and an integrated adventure sports centre in the region. [KNT]
