The closing ceremony of the 24th National Para Athletics Championship 2026 was held today at Kalinga Stadium in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha Mohan Charan Majhi, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
The event was attended by Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha Suryabanshi Suraj, Sports Secretary Sachin R. Jadhav, Paralympic Committee General Secretary Jaywant G. H., Para Athletics Chairperson Satyanarayan, President of Para Sports Association of Odisha Kamalakanta Rath, and Secretary of Para Sports Association of Odisha & Treasurer of the Paralympic Committee of India Sunil Pradhan, along with several distinguished guests and dignitaries.
During the ceremony, Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi presented awards to the medal-winning athletes and congratulated them for their outstanding performances. He encouraged all participants to continue their hard work, discipline, and dedication in future national and international competitions.
Addressing the athletes, the Chief Minister stated that victory and defeat are natural parts of sports, but para-athletes are true champions for overcoming challenges in life and transforming limitations into strengths. He inspired the athletes to aim for excellence in the forthcoming Asian Para Games and extended special congratulations to the 40-member Odisha contingent for their remarkable participation and achievements.
Highlighting Odisha’s growing contribution to para sports, Shri Majhi urged the athletes to follow the inspiring journey of Pramod Bhagat, Paralympic Games Gold Medalist and Padma Shri awardee, and Jayanti Behera, Para Asian Games medalist. He expressed confidence that with determination and perseverance, the athletes would continue to bring pride to Odisha and the nation on the global stage.