Sports Minister Mandaviya reviews final preparations for World Para Athletics

New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday visited the JLN Stadium to oversee final preparations for the first-ever World Para Athletics Championships to be hosted here from September 26 to October 5.

Organising the competition marks a new chapter in India's ability to stage global tournaments of such a scale, further strengthening the nation's position as a hub for international sports.

The Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, Raksha Khadse, also joined Mandaviya in meeting and interacted with the athletes.

Several senior officials from the Local Organising Committee, Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and sports ministry also attended the inspection.

Mandaviya took a detailed round of the stadium including areas such as accreditation centre, medical centre, newly-laid warmup and the main MONDO track amongst others, which he had been inaugurated on August 29.

The track will host some of the world's finest para-athletes from over 100 countries during the championships. There will be a total of 73 para-athletes vying for the top spot from the host nation.

"Under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, India has emerged as a trusted destination for hosting major international sporting events. His belief that the world is one family — 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' — inspires us to bring athletes from across the globe together on Indian soil," Mandaviya said during the inspection.

"With more than 100 nations participating, this is not only the biggest para-athletics event ever hosted by India, but also a reflection of our capability, rich culture, and commitment to sports as a unifying force. Our effort is to ensure that every para-athlete experiences world-class infrastructure and feels fully supported here at the World Para Athletics Championships," he added.

Paris Paralympics medallists Sharad Kumar was also present with Simran Sharma and Preeti Pal, who have been practising on the MONDO track.

The tournament is set to begin with an opening ceremony scheduled for September 25. PTI SSC SSC DDV