India aims for historic performance at the largest-ever World Para Athletics Championships.

Sep 26, 2025
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India is aiming for its best-ever performance at the World Para Athletics Championships, with the 2025 edition being held in New Delhi from September 27 to October 5. The IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships is the largest para sports event ever hosted on Indian soil, with a record-breaking 2,200 participants from 104 nations.

India will be represented by its largest-ever contingent of 74 athletes. Champions such as Sumit Antil, Preethi Pal, Deepthi Jeevanji, Dharambir Nain, and Praveen Kumar are set to compete on home ground.

The World Para Athletics Championships was officially declared open on September 26, 2025, following a glittering opening ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The event was attended by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and top officials from the global and the country's Paralympic bodies.

India is hosting the World Para Athletics Championships for the first time, becoming the fourth Asian nation to do so, following Qatar (2015), the UAE (2019), and Japan (2024).

India's para athletes achieved a remarkable feat at the Kobe 2024 World Para Athletics Championships by winning 17 medals, including six golds, finishing sixth overall. The 2023 Paris championships had already seen a record 10 medals (3 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze), laying the groundwork for this moment.

The event will feature 186 medal events, which is 15 more than the 2024 edition in Kobe, Japan. Over 100 medalists from the Paris 2024 Paralympics, who won a total of 308 medals, including 112 gold, 96 silver, and many bronze, are expected to participate.

The championships are being held on the newly-laid Mondo track at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which was previously used at the Paris Paralympics 2024 and inaugurated on National Sports Day. A Mondo warm-up track and a multi-specialty gymnasium capable of training 200 athletes simultaneously were also inaugurated.

Several Paris 2024 Paralympics medalists are competing, including Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland), James Turner (Australia), and Hunter Woodhall (USA).

Preeti Pal, who made history by becoming the first Indian track athlete to win a Paralympic medal with two bronze medals at Paris 2024, has been named one of India's flag bearers for the event, along with Paralympic gold medalist Dharambir Singh. Dharambir captured his maiden Paralympic gold at Paris 2024 in the men's club throw F51.

Written By

Anika Sharma

Anika Sharma is an emerging journalist with a passion for uncovering global stories and a commitment to impactful reporting, alongside a keen interest in sports. Holding a Master's in International Journalism, she brings a fresh perspective to complex world affairs. Anika is particularly focused on human rights and environmental issues, eager to leverage her skills to shed light on underreported topics and advocate for positive change worldwide. Her dedication to sports also influences her team-oriented approach to journalism.