Bringing pride once again to India, Team Snow India has won the Bronze Medal as well as the People’s Choice Award at the prestigious International Snow Sculpture Championship 2026 in Breckenridge, Colorado, USA, for their thought-provoking creation titled “Corn: The Ultimate Domesticator.”
The four-member team — Zahoor Kashmiri, Mridul Upadhyay, Suhail Mohmad Khan, and Matt Seeley (USA) — hand-carved their sculpture from a 25-ton, 12-foot-tall block of snow over four days, braving temperatures as low as -31°C. Artists used only hand tools, skill, and imagination — no power tools or internal supports are allowed in the championship.
This year’s 16 ft tall piece, “Corn: The Ultimate Domesticator — Who is truly in control?”, reimagines human history with humor and depth. Inspired by Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens, the artists explored the idea that while humans believe they domesticated corn, perhaps corn—or crops—have been domesticating us, shaping our agriculture, diets, and landscapes for centuries. The sculpture invited audiences to reflect on the relationship between nature and humanity, sparking both curiosity and laughter among visitors and judges alike.
Team Snow India’s creative and conceptual work earned the admiration of judges and spectators alike, placing them on the podium alongside Korea (Gold) and Mongolia (Silver), while also receiving the People’s Choice Award through public voting. With this achievement, Team Snow India once again placed India among the world’s leading snow sculpting nations.
This marks Team Snow India’s second consecutive international medal, continuing their trailblazing journey as South Asia’s first-ever snow sculpting team to compete and win at this global level.
The team expressed deep gratitude to the organizers for their hospitality and support, and renewed their appeal for institutional backing from the Government of India and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Despite limited sponsorship or financial assistance, the team continues to represent the country with dedication, creativity, and national pride—hoping to inspire a new snow art culture and winter tourism movement in the Indian Himalayas.
“Winning both the jury’s and the people’s awards is truly special. Every flake of snow here tells a story—of teamwork, passion, and India’s creative spirit,” said Mridul Upadhyay from Team Snow India.
