India is set to make history at the upcoming World Para Athletics Championships with a record 35 athletes making their debut.
The event, scheduled to take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium from September 27 to October 5, will feature over 2,200 participants from more than 100 countries.
Among the debutants is Mahendra Gurjar, who recently set a world record in the men’s F42 javelin category with a throw of 61.17 meters at the Nottwil Grand Prix in Switzerland. Gurjar, currently training in Patiala, expressed hope that the team’s performance will inspire more youth, especially girls, to pursue para sports.
Other first-time Indian athletes include Atul Kaushik (discus F57), Praveen (shot put F46), Dayawanti (women’s 400m T20), and Suchitra Parida (women’s javelin F56), among others. The championship is being hailed as India’s biggest-ever para sporting event.
Long jumper Mit Patel shared his excitement, saying, “To compete at this level, in front of a home crowd, is something I’ve dreamed about since I first started training.”
The event is expected to be a turning point for India’s para athletics movement, highlighting both talent and resilience on the global stage.
