Haryana emerged as the overall champion at the 23rd National Paralympic Athletics Championship, securing an impressive 49 gold, 32 silver, and 25 bronze medals. Tamil Nadu, the host state, claimed second place with 17 gold, 18 silver, and 12 bronze, while Uttar Pradesh finished third with 14 gold, 17 silver, and 11 bronze medals. Rajasthan secured the fourth spot with 13 gold, 22 silver, and 26 bronze, while Maharashtra rounded out the top five with 11 gold, 3 silver, and 13 bronze medals. The event, held from February 18 to 20, 2025, in Tamil Nadu, showcased the outstanding performances of para-athletes from across the nation.
The closing ceremony was graced by Lt Gen. Karanbir Singh Brar as the chief guest, alongside several distinguished officials from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), including Vice President Shri Chandrasekhar, Chief Coach Shri Sathya Narayanan, Vice President Shri Sathya Parkash Sangwan, Secretary General Shri Jayawant Gundu Hamanawar, and Treasurer Shri Sunil Pradhan.
On the final day, athletes gave remarkable performances across various disciplines. In the men’s discus throw, Pradeep Kumar from SSCB claimed gold in the F62/F64 category with a throw of 44.00m, while Rakesh, also from SSCB, won the F42/F43/F44 category with a throw of 49.52m. Haryana’s Devender Kumar earned silver with a throw of 49.01m, and Shubham Dhull took bronze with 46.23m.
In the women’s events, Priyanka Sharma of Delhi triumphed in the 200m T35/T36/T37 final, finishing in 38.11 seconds, with Karnataka’s Harshita Tater and Chandigarh’s Babanpreet Kaur taking silver and bronze, respectively. Haryana’s Ekta Bhyan, the world champion, continued her dominance in the club throw F32/F51, winning gold with a throw of 20.14m. Rajasthan’s Durga Gahlot earned silver, while Haryana’s Geeta Rani secured bronze.
The men’s discus throw F37 event was another highlight, with Haryana’s Bhavishay clinching gold with a throw of 44.27m, followed by his teammate Haney with silver (44.13m). Ankit, also from Haryana, took bronze. Dharambir, another Haryana athlete, claimed gold in the F51 event with a throw of 10.91m, while Uttar Pradesh’s Ram Ratan Singh and Tamil Nadu’s Alexander Mani finished with silver and bronze.
Endurance events, including the men’s 5000m races, added excitement, with Rajasthan’s Rajesh Yadav winning the T13 category in 16:26.75s, and Karnataka’s Sharath M.S taking gold in the T12 category with a time of 15:50.49s. Athletes from West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi also delivered strong performances in the long-distance events.
The championship, organized by the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority and the Tamil Nadu Paralympic Sports Association, saw 1,476 para-athletes from 30 states and union territories competing across 155 events. Tamil Nadu fielded a large contingent of 185 athletes, one of the largest in the tournament. This event showcased the extraordinary determination and skill of India’s para-athletes, paving the way for future international competitions.