Khelo India Para Games-2025 kick off

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday inaugurated the second edition of the Khelo India Para Games here and lauded the country's para-athletes for showing steely resolve despite the many challenges they face.

Over 1300 athletes will compete for the top honours in the Games that will conclude on March 27. Participants include several high-profile para-athletes like Paris Paralympics gold-medallist archer Harvinder Singh, club thrower Dharambir, and Khel Ratna-winning high Jumper Praveen Kumar.

“Khelo India slowly and steadily established its importance. Today when I am here witnessing these athletes, I see the fire in their eyes, I see the belief. It is indeed in the right direction,” Mandaviya said during the opening ceremony of the Games here.

“It has made the nation believe, it has made the PM believe that these games, the platform has enabled us to showcase our talent and we will not disappoint anyone,” he added.

Mandaviya cited India's Paris Paralympics performance to highlight the progress made in para-sports. India won 29 medals in the French capital last year, including seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze medals.

“The biggest example of it is the Paris Paralympics performance of these athletes. These athletes may have seen something taken away from them but they have never let it stop them,” Mandaviya said referring to the often tragic circumstances that have resulted in disability for the athletes.

“I want to wish everyone good luck, do well. I now declare the Khelo India Para Games 2025 open,” the minister added.

The event started with Paris bronze-medallist sprinter Simran Sharma, who is partilally blind, Khel Ratna awardee Praveen Kumar, Paris gold-winning shuttler Nitesh Kumar, and two-time Paralympics medal-winning runner Preethi Pal handing over the Games torch to the sports minister.

Also present was Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar.