India is stepping up big time in the world of para sports, and the proof is right now at the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships. The event is buzzing at the famous Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, highlighting how far the country’s Paralympic movement has come in just a few years.
On Wednesday, two key figures in global para athletics—Paul Fitzgerald, head of World Para Athletics, and Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee—spoke to the media there. Both couldn’t stop praising India’s rapid growth in sports for athletes with disabilities.
Fitzgerald called the championships a golden chance to shine on multiple levels. “Every world championship we host shows the world what’s possible for 1.2 billion people with disabilities—not just possibilities, but real excellence, top performance, and building connections in our community,” he said.
He pointed out India’s impressive medal haul: just two medals at the 2015 Doha World Championships, a whopping 17 at last year’s Kobe event, and already several stacking up in New Delhi. “The Indian government has thrown strong support behind this,” Fitzgerald added. “They’re renovating sports facilities nationwide, and this event is firing up the next generation of para athletes.”
Since taking the helm at World Para Athletics in 2022, Fitzgerald made it clear this isn’t a flash in the pan. India hosted a Grand Prix here before the upgrades, and they’ve locked in contracts for annual Grand Prix events over the next three years. “Reaching para communities across India is huge,” he noted.
Parsons, fresh off his re-election for a third term as IPC president, agreed wholeheartedly. “There’s real growth here, backed by solid government support. We’re still mapping out India’s para sports ecosystem—it’s a work in progress,” he said. Drawing from his Brazilian roots and the 2016 Rio Paralympics, he added, “When a country’s leaders get involved, magic happens. India’s economic boom is fueling this momentum too.”
Fitzgerald wrapped up by emphasizing that it’s about pushing personal limits, not just grabbing medals. “With India’s massive population, we have so many potential athletes to tap into,” he explained. “But competing fiercely matters more than the tally—hitting personal bests inspires everyone. These championships mark the true launch of something massive for para sports in India.”
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