Sri Vijaya Puram | March 17. 2026
A contingent of para athletes from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands departed on Monday from the Veer Savarkar International Airport to participate in the 24th National Para Athletics Championship 2025–26, scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar from March 19 to 21, 2026.
The contingent comprises eight members, including Coach & Manager N. Jayapriya, Escort Basanti Tirkey, and athletes B. Albakka, M. Bhavani, Prachi Toppo, Roshni Narayan, Jagdev Kachuwa, and Rohit Ram. Among them, Jagdev Kachhuwa and Rohit Ram are visually impaired athletes.
Out of the six athletes, five departed from Sri Vijaya Puram along with two officials, while M. Bhavani will join the team at Bhubaneswar from Bengaluru, where she is currently training in preparation for the AICHI-NAGOYA 2026 Asian Para Games to be held in Japan in October 2026.
The athletes were selected during the State Championship-cum-Selection Trials held on January 31 and February 1, 2026, at Sri Vijaya Puram. The trials were organized by the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Para Sports Association, which is affiliated with the Para Committee of India and recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The participation of the island athletes in the national championship marks another significant step in promoting para sports in the region.
