India opened its medal account at the World Para Athletics Championships 2025, with Shailesh Kumar winning the nation's first gold medal in the men’s high jump T63 event at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Having finished just outside the podium at the Paris Paralympics a year ago, Shailesh secured the gold with a clearance of 1.91m, setting a new Championship Record and defeating the reigning Olympic champion, Ezra Frech of the USA, who took silver.
Shailesh's defeat in the paralympics last year, had put him in a tough spot, mentally. He had taken a break from the sport but was encouraged by his parents to return to training. "I was really demotivated when I came back from Paris," Shailesh said. "But my parents told me it was just my first Paralympics. They told me it’s okay to take a break, but it’s not okay to give up." For Shailesh, adapting to the home environment provided a crucial edge. "The first special thing was that it was a home ground, so I felt good," he noted. "The atmosphere was good here, I was getting support from the home ground."
The high jump event brought a second medal for India, with former Paralympic medallist Varun Bhati clinching the bronze. Bhati, who tied Frech with a best clearance of 1.85m but lost silver on a countback, broke a long medal drought. "It was very difficult," Bhati said. "To be honest, I have not slept well for the last 7-8 years, but I will get a sound sleep after many years... I am very hopeful that at the Asian Games and Paralympics, I will do much better and hope for medals." India added a third medal on the opening day, with Deepthi Jeevanji winning silver in the women’s 400m T20 category.
The WPAC 2025, the first major athletics event in Delhi since the 2010 Commonwealth Games, would certainly be a test for India’s ambitions to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympics. The government and the Sports Authority of India have heavily invested in upgrading the venue, including laying two new 50crore Mondo tracks to make the venue accessible. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the opening ceremony, stated the event will strengthen "India’s identity as a rising sporting hub, motivating millions to embrace sports as a way of life.”
However, despite the historic event and the strong Indian start, the Championships were marked by a lack of public interest. The majority of the stands in the 60,000-seater JLN Stadium were empty, with attendance estimated at only 500-700 people on the first day. The scant public promotion meant that a historic moment for Indian para-athletics was largely missed by local fans. Gold medallist Shailesh Kumar made a direct plea for more support: “The more the crowd, the better the performance. I want you to support the para games. So that our para athletes win medals.”
The success of the WPAC as a showcase for India's hosting capabilities will depend not just on the upgraded infrastructure, but also on the public's engagement with the event. As the competition continues until October 5, the hope remains that more Indian fans will turn up to support the record 74-member contingent aiming to break the nation's previous best medal haul.