Mountain warfare

High Altitude Warfare School: The medals shimmered in the faint mountain sunlight, but when asked where the true gold was made, athletes didn’t indicate the podium. Instead, they pointed upward to the snow-covered ridges of Gulmarg and the strict, unyielding environment of the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS).

At the sixth Khelo India Winter Games, held here from February 23 to 26, athletes from all over India, representing states, Union Territories, and major institutions like the Indian Army, CRPF, and ITBP, shared a common sentiment: HAWS was the reason for this success.

Founded in December 1948 by Brigadier General K S Thimayya as the 19th Infantry Division Ski School, the institution was established out of necessity. Located in avalanche-prone terrain, it later became the Winter Warfare School. On April 8, 1962, it was upgraded to a Category A Training Establishment and received its current name, with a renewed focus on mountain mastery.