Key Takeaways

India is hosting the 12th World Para Athletics Championships 2025 in New Delhi from 27th September – 5th October for the first time, with more than 70 athletes competing in 186 medal events alongside participants from over 100 nations. India’s medal tally in para-athletics has risen sharply, from just two silvers at Doha 2015 to 17 medals at Kobe 2024, reflecting the country’s growing strength in the sport. Key Indian stars to watch include Sumit (javelin), Preeti Pal (sprints), Praveen Kumar (high jump), Dharambir (club throw), and Navdeep (javelin), amongst others, who carry India’s hopes for a record performance on home soil.

Delhi 2025: A Historic First for India

For nine days this autumn, New Delhi will become the heartbeat of global para-sport — a stage where grit, speed, and resilience will take centre spotlight.

From September 27 to  October 5, 2025, the capital is hosting the World Para Athletics Championships for the first time, bringing together more than 1,000 athletes from over 100 nations at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. This is not only India’s debut as host but also one of the largest para-sport gatherings ever held on its soil. The Championships are the biggest competition for para-athletes in track and field apart from the Paralympic Games, bringing together the very best from around the world. Athletes will compete in a wide range of events, including sprints, relays, long-distance races, jumps, throws, and various other athletic disciplines.

Beyond medals and records, the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championship stands as a symbol of inclusion and accessibility. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has been upgraded with a new MONDO track and athlete-friendly facilities, meeting global standards to ensure every competitor has the platform to excel. The city is buzzing with visitors, volunteers, and fans, making the Championship not only a sporting milestone but also a catalyst for raising awareness about para-sports in everyday conversations.

India’s Para-Athletics Heroes: Medals, Moments, What to Watch

Over the past decade, India has emerged as one of the most powerful success stories in the global rise of para-athletics. From securing two silver medals at the Doha 2015 World Championships and nine medals at Dubai 2019 World Championship, to claiming a remarkable 17 medals, including six gold, at Kobe 2024, the transformation has been extraordinary. This journey reflects not only the resilience of athletes but also the growing support ecosystem provided by the Paralympic Committee of India and increased investment in para-sports.

As India steps onto the world stage this year with confidence and elevated expectations, the nation’s para-athletes are poised for greatness-cheered on by a home crowd eager to witness more moments of triumph.

Indian athletes to look out for

 

More than 70 athletes are representing India at the current World Para Athletics Championships. India has steadily strengthened its reputation in para-sport over the years. At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, the nation won a total of 84 medals, including 17 in para-athletics. Since making its Paralympic debut at Tel Aviv in 1968, Indian athletes have proudly secured eight gold medals in para-athletics. This impressive momentum continued at the Kobe 2024 World Championships, where they earned 17 medals, setting the stage for even greater success on home soil.

The spotlight this year is on India’s Paralympic champions and multiple medalists, who are ready to inspire with world-class performances before the home crowd.

History of the World Championships

Para athletics is the most widely participated sport within the Paralympic Movement, with athletes from over 150 countries competing worldwide.

Para athletics traces its origins back to the Stoke Mandeville Games in the early 1950s, where injured World War II veterans first competed in javelin events.

In 1960, at the inaugural Paralympic Games in Rome, para athletics made its formal debut. 31 athletes (21 men and 10 women) from 10 countries competed in 25 medal events including shot put, javelin, club throw, and even a pentathlon combining multiple disciplines.

. At the 1964 Tokyo Paralympics, the programme expanded to 42 events and marked the debut of wheelchair racing. By the 1972 Games, para athletics had expanded to include athletes beyond those with spinal injuries, introducing events for visually impaired competitors.The 1976 Games in Toronto further broadened participation by adding medal events for amputee athletes.

With technological advances, such as more specialised racing wheelchairs, and evolving classification systems, para athletics matured into a robust and inclusive sport. By the 1980s, athletes with cerebral palsy and other impairments were competing alongside those with amputations, vision-impairments and spinal injuries. The marathon made its Paralympic debut in 1984, introducing a new test of endurance to the programme.. In modern times, World Para Athletics, governed by the International Paralympic Committee based in Bonn, Germany, oversees the sport[6].

The Competition: Events & Schedule at a Glance

Across nine action-packed days, the Championships will showcase a mix of track and field events in both morning and evening sessions. The programme features a total of 186 medal events — including 101 for men, 84 for women, and one mixed event — covering everything from sprint finishes and endurance races to dramatic jumps and powerful throws. The schedule has been carefully designed to feature high-stakes finals in every session, ensuring that the New Delhi 2025 event unfolds as a nonstop celebration of para-sport excellence.

Day	Morning Session (09:00–11:30)	Evening Session (17:00–20:30)
Day 1 (27 Sept)	Men’s Shot Put, Women’s Long Jump, Women’s 400m, Men’s 5000m, Men’s 100m, Women’s Shot Put, Women’s Javelin Throw, Women’s 100m	Men’s Club Throw, Men’s Long Jump, Women’s Discus Throw, Men’s 100m, Men’s Shot Put, Men’s High Jump, Men’s Javelin Throw, Men’s 400m, Women’s 400m
Day 2 (28 Sept)	Women’s Discus Throw, Men’s Shot Put, Women’s Javelin Throw, Men’s 400m, Men’s Long Jump, Women’s 1500m, Women’s 5000m, Women’s 100m	Men’s Club Throw, Men’s Javelin Throw, Women’s 100m, Men’s 100m, Men’s Long Jump, Men’s 400m, Women’s 400m, Women’s Shot Put, Men’s 5000m
Day 3 (29 Sept)	Women’s Discus Throw, Men’s Shot Put, Men’s 1500m, Women’s Club Throw, Men’s 400m, Women’s Long Jump, Men’s 100m, Men’s 200m	Women’s Javelin Throw, Men’s Discus Throw, Women’s 100m, Men’s 400m, Men’s Long Jump, Women’s Shot Put, Women’s 800m, Men’s Javelin Throw
Day 4 (30 Sept)	Men’s Discus Throw, Women’s Shot Put, Men’s 1500m, Men’s 200m, Men’s Long Jump, Men’s 100m, Women’s 100m, Men’s 400m	Women’s Club Throw, Men’s Javelin Throw, Women’s Shot Put, Men’s 200m, Women’s 200m, Men’s Shot Put, Women’s Long Jump, Women’s 400m, Men’s 800m
Day 5 (1 Oct)	Women’s Javelin Throw, Men’s Shot Put, Women’s 1500m, Men’s Long Jump, Women’s 400m, Women’s Discus Throw, Men’s 400m, Women’s Shot Put, Women’s 100m, Men’s 100m	Men’s Discus Throw, Women’s Long Jump, Men’s Shot Put, Men’s 400m, Men’s 100m, Women’s 100m, Men’s 800m, Men’s Javelin Throw, Men’s 5000m, Women’s 200m
Day 6 (2 Oct)	Men’s Javelin Throw, Women’s Shot Put, Men’s 1500m, Men’s Long Jump, Men’s 100m, Men’s Discus Throw, Women’s 100m, Men’s 400m, Women’s 400m	Men’s Club Throw, Men’s Long Jump, Women’s Shot Put, Women’s 100m, Men’s Discus Throw, Men’s 400m, Men’s Shot Put, Women’s 200m, Women’s 1500m, Men’s 800m
Day 7 (3 Oct)	Women’s Shot Put, Women’s Discus Throw, Men’s Shot Put, Men’s Long Jump, Men’s 1500m, Women’s 200m, Men’s Discus Throw, Men’s 100m, Women’s 100m, Women’s 400m	Men’s Discus Throw, Women’s Shot Put, Men’s 400m, Men’s High Jump, Women’s Long Jump, Men’s 800m, Men’s 100m, Men’s Shot Put, Women’s 200m, Women’s 400m
Day 8 (4 Oct)	Women’s Shot Put, Women’s Long Jump, Men’s Javelin Throw, Men’s 1500m, Men’s Shot Put, Women’s 200m, Men’s 100m, Women’s 400m, Men’s 800m, Mixed 4x100m Relay (Heats)	Women’s Club Throw, Men’s Shot Put, Women’s Long Jump, Women’s 200m, Men’s High Jump, Men’s 100m, Men’s Javelin Throw, Women’s 800m, Men’s 1500m, Mixed 4x100m Relay (Final)
Day 9 (5 Oct)	Women’s Discus Throw, Men’s 200m, Women’s Long Jump, Men’s Shot Put, Women’s 200m, Men’s 1500m, Men’s 800m, Women’s 100m	Men’s Shot Put, Women’s Discus Throw, Women’s 200m, Men’s 200m, Men’s Long Jump, Women’s 100m, Men’s 100m, Men’s Javelin Throw, Men’s 1500m, Women’s 400m, Men’s 400m, Men’s 800m

 The World Para Athletics Championships 2025 is being broadcasted live by India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati on Doordarshan’s national channel DD Sports, as well as on its digital platform, the Waves app.

 

Conclusion: India’s Moment & the Road Ahead

The World Para Athletics Championships 2025 is an important moment for para-sport in India and across the globe. Over nine days of spirited competition, New Delhi will not just witness record-breaking performances but also the triumph of human willpower, discipline, and resilience. For the athletes, this is a chance to make history; for the fans, it is an opportunity to celebrate stories that inspire well beyond the sporting arena.

India’s hosting of the Championships signals a new era where inclusivity and excellence go hand in hand, positioning the nation firmly on the world stage of para-athletics. As the final races are run and the last medals awarded, the true legacy of the Championships will not only be counted in numbers but in the hope it ignites, the awareness it builds, and the pride it leaves behind. The spirit of World Para Athletics Championships will endure as a reminder that para-sport is not just about participation — it is about pushing boundaries, creating role models, and shaping a more inclusive future for world sport.

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