Leh (Ladakh): The debut of figure skating at the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 opened a new chapter for winter sports in India, bringing together athletes from diverse backgrounds and training realities.
One of the standout stories from the competition was that of Jessy Raj Mathrapu, a 15-year-old international artistic skater from Andhra Pradesh, who claimed the silver medal in the Advanced Girls Short Programme at the Nawang Dorjan Stobdan Stadium.
For Jessy, the podium finish carried added significance. KIWG 2026 marked her first-ever appearance at the Khelo India Winter Games and only her first competitive experience on ice.
A specialist roller skater with a decorated international resume, Jessy had stepped onto ice barely weeks before the
Games, following a short national training camp in Dehradun. Yet, she adapted quickly enough to compete in the senior advanced category and finish second in a strong field.
Already an established name in roller skating, Jessy is a Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardee (2024) and an international medalist, with gold medals at the Asian Championship in Taiwan (2023) and the Oceania Pacific Cup in New Zealand (2024), and a silver at the Asian Championship in South Korea (2025). With over 50 medals across levels, she represents a growing breed of Indian athletes transitioning across disciplines.
In a conversation with myKhel, Jessy speaks candidly about discovering ice skating, the technical differences between roller and ice, training without infrastructure in southern India, balancing academics, and how platforms like Khelo India are shaping her long-term ambition of competing at World Championships and World Cups. Here are the excerpts:
MyKhel: How was your Khelo India Winter Games experience and a silver medal in your debut?
Jessy: This is my first time participating in the Khelo India Winter Games. It is a very new and exciting experience for me and I am very happy to have finished the podium in my debut. I will look to change the colour of the medal next year.
MK: You mentioned that you started ice figure skating very recently. How did that happen?
Jessy: I actually started figure skating on ice only in November. I attended a camp in Dehradun where an international coach came to train us. That camp was my first time skating on ice, and it was also my first proper exposure to figure skating on ice.
MK: You are primarily a roller skater. Can you tell us about your background in roller skating?
Jessy: Yes, I am basically a roller skater from Andhra Pradesh. I have been attending many international championships in roller skating. In 2025, I won a silver medal at the Asian Championship, and in Taiwan earlier, I won two golds, one silver and one bronze. In 2024, I attended my first international roller skating championship in New Zealand and won a gold medal there.
MK: How difficult was the transition from roller skating to ice skating?
Jessy: It is not really very hard, but it is also not very easy. The techniques are slightly different. In roller skating, we skate on a hard surface, but on ice it is slippery. When I came to ice, I kept thinking, "How do you balance on this?" But once I started practising, it became very enjoyable. I actually like ice skating a lot-the spinning, jumping, and even falling on ice. I don't know why, but I enjoy falling on ice.
MK: With limited ice infrastructure in India, especially in Andhra Pradesh, how did you prepare?
Jessy: In the south, we don't have ice rinks, so we practise mostly on roller skates. Before Khelo India, we had a 10-day camp in Dehradun in December. That camp was very useful because it introduced me properly to ice skating. There was a test at the camp, and I passed Level 8, which allowed me to compete in the senior advanced age group.
MK: What does your regular training look like when you are back home?
Jessy: At home in Vijayawada, we practise on roller skates and focus a lot on off-ice workouts. We do jumps, spins, barefoot exercises and fitness training. Fitness is the most fundamental thing-it helps whether you are skating on roller or ice.
MK: You won the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar last year. You received the award from the President of India and got a chance to interact with PM Narendra Modi. What did that moment mean to you?
Jessy: That is the most prestigious gift I have received so far. At my age, it was the highest honour I could get. I received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in the sports category. Meeting the President and the Prime Minister felt like a dream. I can't even express that feeling properly in words. I felt very happy and proud at the same time.
MK: How did your journey with skating begin during the Covid period?
Jessy: I started skating in 2021, during Covid. In my first year, I only participated at district and state levels to learn by watching seniors. The next year, I improved and won a bronze medal at the state level. In 2023, we had an international coach's camp in India, which really changed my skating. That's when my progress started accelerating.
MK: Is there a sporting background in your family?
Jessy: Yes, my mother was an athlete. She was a 200-metre sprinter and competed up to South Indian Nationals when she was around 14 or 15 years old. My grandfather was in the police, and he encouraged her a lot. So, sports has always been part of our family.
MK: For a 15-year-old studies are equally important. How do you balance academics with competitive sport?
Jessy: I am currently in Class 10, and I try to balance both. I have my exams next month. Academics are important to me. Right now, I score above 85%, so I am managing it well. My school is also very supportive.
MK: What do events like Khelo India mean for young athletes like you?
Jessy: These championships are a big push for athletes. Academics are not the only option, we need something on the other side as well. Platforms like Khelo India encourage young athletes and help them find new paths beyond studies.
MK: What are your plans for 2026 and beyond?
Jessy: This year is mostly about my Class 10 exams, so I won't have many international competitions. I will focus on aggressive training for 2027, where I want to compete in Asian and World Championships. My goal is to represent India at the highest international level before graduation.
Jessy Raj Mathrapu's silver-medal finish at KIWG 2026 may have been her first step on competitive ice, but her clarity of purpose and growing experience suggest it is only the beginning of a much larger international journey.
