Not so long ago, paralympic silver medallist Pranav Soorma would enter the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, seated in his wheelchair, and struggle to make his way to the throwing area over the bumps and potholes on the way.
“But now it has changed. I can propel my wheelchair smoothly and sometimes without anyone’s assistance,” Soorma, a silver medal winner in the club throw event at the Paris Paralympics, toldThe Indian Express.
The upgrades at the iconic stadium, which has been revamped for the 12th World Para Athletics Championships from September 27 to October 5, reflects India’s growing profile in para-athletics: two new tracks, 20 washrooms made fully accessible for para athletes, eight new lifts, an extended long jump pit and a revamped throwing platform.
The IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships commenced with a spectacular opening ceremony today 🎉👀
The event was graced by the presence of Hon’ble MYAS, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya; Hon’ble MoS, Smt. Raksha Khadse; Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Rekha… pic.twitter.com/EvgTKo9JpV
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After bagging a rising number of medals at the Paralympics, from four in 2016 to 19 in 2021 and 29 last year, India is now hosting a para-event of this scale for the first time.
India won 10 medals in the 2023 edition of the World Championships and 17 last year. And, when an opportunity arose last year to host big-ticket events, the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) “grabbed it with both hands,” according to World Para Athletics president Paul Fitzgerald.
“India has grown in the para-sports community over the past decade and showed good performances at global events. At WPA, we also wanted new regions to explore and that is the cross-section where we met to host four big-ticket events in India including Grand Prix and World Championships,” Fitzgerald said.
The venue has two new Mondo tracks – one in the main stadium and another in the warm-up area. “The laying of the Mondo track is definitely the best thing that has happened for us. Earlier, when we used to go abroad, athletes faced difficulty with the grip on a Mondo track but there won’t be any such issues now,” Soorma said.
Opening Ceremony of
IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships
📍JLN Stadium, New Delhi
Watch Live Today At 7 PM 👇https://t.co/hZwwjoGG5n
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There have been other improvements, too.
“Half of the 40 washrooms have been made fully accessible for para athletes, with the rest semi-accessible. The new gym is equipped with all the equipment that a para athlete uses. We have installed eight new lifts that are accessible for para athletes. After this World Championship, the stadium will be ready to host any para tournament,” PCI president Devendra Jhajharia said.
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In the field of play, the long jump pit has been extended on both sides to prevent injuries to visually-impaired jumpers. “When they go for a jump, sometimes they lose direction and fall on the track which is dangerous for them. We have increased the thickness of the track near the jumping pit to avoid that,” said Jhajharia.
Similarly, the old throwing platforms for wheelchair athletes have been replaced.
Around 2,200 participants, including athletes, coaches, and other officials, are arriving for the event, with competitions starting on Saturday and continuing till October 5. They will be staying in 14 hotels that have wheelchair accessibility with ramps.
“Transport is a big challenge but we have sorted it out by deploying buses across the city,” Jhajharia said. More than 60 buses will be plying and they will be accessible to para athletes, with 20 of them specifically enabled for wheelchairs.
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The Indian contingent in the opening ceremony of the World Para Athletics Championships. (SAI Media)
A large technical crew is needed to conduct the mega event smoothly because of the number of events. “Unlike the World Athletics Championships where there are 49 events, the para has more than 180. We have been training our technical teams for the past six months with more than 150 officials being trained by WPA,” the PCI chief said.
On Tuesday, the Mondo track was laid in the warm-up area. On Thursday, the stadium, which has hosted several high-profile sporting events, resembled a wedding venue with last-minute preparations in full swing. “It is thrilling but hectic also as we enter the final preparation phase. We are determined to put up a good show in front of the world,” Jhajharia said while grabbing a bottle of water.
Hosting the World Championships is a dream come true for Jhajharia, a former para-athlete. “When I won my first gold medal at the World Championships back in 2013, I had hoped that someday we will have something like this in India. And look how destiny works, I am at the centre of everything happening,” he said.
Jhajharia believes the event will inspire more young para athletes in the country. “This event can change how para sport is perceived in India. Young para athletes will have a chance to see the action from close quarters. This will also propel India’s status as a good host and strengthen our bid for the 2036 Olympics.”
