Param-para: India's Olympic ambitions at stake as World Para Athletics C'ships come to town

India hosting the World Para Athletic Championships -- for a generation and beyond, that is a sentence straight out of some scriptwriter's fantasy.

This is, after all, a country that has treated para sports with everything ranging from contempt to apathy, a country where -- as recently as May 2021 -- the national athletics championships had been held in almost farcical conditions (anyone remember the videos of the shot put event being held under the glare of mobile flashlights and the headlights of parked cars?).

Across sport (outside cricket) we've seen this happen, events being held with only one thing in mind: the ticking of boxes, a grudging exercise that the suits just had to get out of the way. This may sound harsh but take a quick look around and there's no real evidence from the recent past that this is a nation that is prepared to, willing to, or capable of holding a proper world event of scale. As the meme goes, 'we don't do that here'.

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Apparently, though, we do. And this is a big, big one.

Taken in isolation, the Para Athletics Worlds is a massive undertaking (1500-odd athletes from 107 countries) in itself. Look at the larger picture, though, and you can see how much this matters - or should matter - to the powers that be. This is the first global event in a series they see culminating in the hosting of the Olympic Games (and let's not forget, the Paralympics) in 2036. A misstep here can be two steps back in that process.

Fortunately, it may not be all bad news. India's track record in holding big events is abysmal (the CWG scam, anyone?) and that's even more true for para-sports, but there are signs of improvement, of change inevitably creeping in.

For one, there's actual on-field winning. As much as the success of para-athletes is often more down to sheer individual will than systemic planning, the increasing medal tallies in para-sports has forced more focus being put on them, more resources being made available, more money being spent. Just look at this astonishing progression -- India had no medals in the first three para-athletics Worlds, before getting one each in the next two. That became two, five, nine, ten and, in Kobe (2024), 17.

For another, the new-ish president of the Paralympic Committee of India, and one of India's greatest sportspersons, Devendra Jhajharia has been saying the right things ever since he took over. After India's record-breaking exploits at the Paris Paralympics, he told ESPN that his aim was to "have accessible sporting stadiums in 600 districts across the length and breadth of the country to tap into the grassroots." Speaking to Sportstar this week, he emphasized how important an event the Worlds was, that they had worked hard to make the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium fit for purpose, that he saw this as a long-term investment and that this was "only the beginning."

There's a vision here that has sorely been missing, and for now, we're seeing actions backing up words. The Delhi stadium has been revamped, at considerable cost. There's now a Mondotrack, an 'Olympic standard' replacement for the ageing synthetic track, complete with alternate dark and light blue lanes to aid the visually impaired. The toilets have been adapted for wheelchairs, and there's been a push to make the stadium more para-friendly, for athlete and spectator alike.

Now one proper, para-friendly stadium is the bare minimum a country of the size and scale and ambition of India should have. Whether yet another big event being hosted with hopes of trickle-down benefits percolating to where it really matters is another question, but preparing world-class infrastructure is undoubtedly a first step in the right direction. The next will be hosting this grand event, and doing it well.

Tonight, New Delhi becomes the heartbeat of the world!
The IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships kick off with a celebration of courage, unity & limitless spirit. @ParaAthletics @Media_SAI @kheloindia @FitIndiaOff @PIB_India @IndianOilcl @HyundaiIndia pic.twitter.com/HiL3529rED

- Paralympic Committee of India (@PCI_IN_Official) September 25, 2025

Involving spectators will be key. Athletics have never been treated as spectator sport in India, the schedule and venue selection and actual condition of stadiums for various events stand testament to that. Even in the sport that rules India like no other, cricket, spectators are often treated as irrelevant distractions (sample the conditions of the average IPL stadium; or the fact that the 2023 World Cup venues and ticketing were decided at the last minute), but here its vital that the Para Athletics Worlds embrace differently abled spectators, create an inclusive fan experience, underline the point of this whole shebang.

Seeing facilities that are geared to help the differently abled in a country where infrastructure sorely lacks any kind of empathy for the difficulties they face will be encouraging, but this goes beyond that. The Para Worlds has an ability to inspire beyond what most understand: for a differently abled person to experience live what others like them are capable of, for them to learn of the incredible stories these great champions have lived through, provides a huge, intangible benefit that doesn't get acknowledged enough. It can't be stressed enough how important it is, then, that as many spectators as possible are given the chance to experience it, in conditions that don't put much strain on them.

On the other side of the coin, Indian athletes who are so used to competing and winning overseas will now finally have a chance to show just how good they are on home soil. They are not household names and are oft forgotten either side of the Paralympics, but a home World Championships provides an opportunity to leave a more permanent imprint on the collective psyche of the nation. This will make them push harder, and what comes of that will only help inspire the spectators more. It's a win-win of the best kind, if done right.

For his part, Jhajharia - two Paralympic golds to his name - appears to be confident about hosting the big event. "Having competed in several World Championships, I knew what is needed - smooth travel, proper hotels, training, and competition venues," he told Sportstar. "It was just about implementing that." Easier said than done, though. The recently concluded Tokyo World Athletics Championships showed the world just how high the bar is for events of this scale. Think of it from the athletes' perspective and you'll understand it: outside of the Paralympics, this is the biggest event they'll ever compete in, this is what their entire lives revolve around. That significance, that importance, must be reflected across the board.

Which is why simply doing a good job won't suffice. It has to go above and beyond, as good as anything in Tokyo or in Paris 2024. And in this day and age, there's nowhere for anyone to hide: from athletes' social media to continuous live coverage from the mainstream media, the spotlight will be well and truly on New Delhi. It's now time for officialdom to channel the athletes they work for and step up when it really matters.