Content

1. India Welcomes the World: Para Athletics Championships 2025 in New Delhi
2. World Tourism Day 2025 – Tourism and Sustainable Transformation

India Welcomes the World: Para Athletics Championships 2025 in New Delhi

What is the News?

• India is hosting the 12th World Para Athletics Championships (27 Sept – 5 Oct 2025) in New Delhi at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
• First time India is hosting this global para-athletics event.
• Participation: 100+ nations, 1000+ athletes, 186 medal events.
• Major Indian medal hopes: Sumit (javelin), Preeti Pal (sprints), Praveen Kumar (high jump), Dharambir (club throw), Navdeep (javelin).
• Live telecast: DD Sports, Waves app (Prasar Bharati).

Relevance

• GS Paper II (Social Justice): Rights and empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
• GS Paper I (Society): Changing social attitudes towards disability, inclusivity in public life.
• GS Paper II (Governance): Role of state + international institutions in sports development.
• GS Paper III (Sports + Soft Power): National sports policy, para-sports as a tool of diplomacy.

Why is it Important?

• Sports + Social Justice Angle: Showcases inclusivity, accessibility, and empowerment of differently-abled persons.
• Global Standing: India now part of the elite list of nations hosting para-sport mega-events.
• Sports Diplomacy: Enhances India’s global image as an inclusive sporting nation.
• Soft Power: Boosts India’s credibility in the Paralympic movement.

India’s Para-Sports Performance (Trend)

• Doha 2015: 2 Silver.
• Dubai 2019: 9 Medals.
• Kobe 2024: 17 Medals (6 Gold).
• Paris Paralympics 2024: 84 Medals (17 in Para-Athletics).
• Since debut at Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympics → 8 Golds in para-athletics.

Trend Analysis:

• Steady growth = result of institutional support (Paralympic Committee of India, govt schemes, private sponsorships).
• Home soil advantage in 2025 could yield record performance.

Institutional and Policy Framework

• Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) – governs para-athletics in India.
• Schemes aiding para-athletes:
  • Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) – extended to para-athletes.
  • Khelo India Scheme – includes differently-abled categories.
  • Scholarships + job quotas under Dept. of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
• Infrastructure upgrades: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium fitted with MONDO track, accessibility-friendly facilities.

History of Para-Athletics

• 1950s – Stoke Mandeville Games
  • Started by Sir Ludwig Guttmann (UK) for WWII veterans.
  • Sports (archery, javelin) used for rehabilitation → birth of para-sport.
• 1960 – Rome Paralympics (Formal Debut)
  • First Paralympic Games, 25 medal events in athletics.
• Expansion Phase
  • 1964 Tokyo → Wheelchair racing introduced.
  • 1972 Heidelberg → Events for visually impaired athletes.
  • 1976 Toronto → Amputee athletes included.
  • 1980s – Inclusivity & Endurance
    • Classification system developed.
  • 1984 → Marathon debut.
    • Athletes with cerebral palsy included.
  • 1990s – Globalisation
  • 1994: First World Para Athletics Championships (Berlin).
    • Para-athletics became the largest Paralympic sport.
• Governing Body
  • World Para Athletics, under International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Bonn, Germany.
• Today
  • Events for athletes with spinal, limb, visual, cerebral, and intellectual impairments.
  • High-tech prosthetics & wheelchairs enhanced performance.

Broader Implications

• Social: Normalises disability → inspires youth, breaks stereotypes.
• Economic: Boost to sports economy, infrastructure, tourism.
• Political/Diplomatic: Enhances India’s global brand as an inclusive democracy.
• Legal: Aligns with Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 and India’s obligations under UNCRPD.

Conclusion

The World Para Athletics Championships 2025 is not just a sporting event but a symbol of inclusivity, resilience, and global integration. For India, it reinforces the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, demonstrates soft power, and strengthens the ecosystem of para-sports. The long-term legacy lies not in medal counts alone but in mainstreaming inclusivity into society, aligning sports with the constitutional goal of justice, equality, and dignity for all.

World Tourism Day 2025 – Tourism and Sustainable Transformation

Basics

• Date: 27th September (since 1980).
• Significance: Marks adoption of UNWTO statutes (1970).
• Theme (2025): “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”.
• Host (2025): Malaysia (Melaka, Sept 27–29).
• Global Relevance: Tourism as a tool for cultural exchange, economic growth, SDGs, and sustainability.

Relevance

• GS Paper II (Governance): Tourism policies, inter-ministerial coordination (Tourism + Tribal Affairs), policy support for rural & tribal livelihoods.
• GS Paper III (Economy): Tourism as a driver of growth, MICE sector expansion, infrastructure push, employment generation.
• GS Paper I (Society & Culture): Promotion of tribal & rural homestays, preservation of cultural heritage, inclusivity in tourism.
• GS Paper II/III (Social Justice & Inclusive Growth): Financial support (Mudra loans, funding for tribal households), empowerment of marginalized communities through tourism.

Historical Context

• 1970: UNWTO statutes adopted.
• 1980: First WTD observed.
• Purpose: Highlight tourism’s role in socio-economic development and global peace.
• Now: Strong alignment with Agenda 2030 (SDGs) → jobs, inclusivity, climate action, gender empowerment.

Tourism in India

• Domestic Visits (Jan–Aug 2025): 303.59 crore.
• Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs): ~56 lakh (up to Aug 2025).
• Medical Tourism (Jan–Apr 2025): 1.31 lakh (4.1% of FTAs).
• Outbound Tourism (till June 2025): 84.4 lakh.
• Inbound Tourism (till June 2025): 16.5 lakh.
• Contribution to GDP (2023–24): ₹15.73 lakh crore (5.22%).
• Employment: 36.9 million (direct) + 47.7 million (indirect) = 13.34% of workforce.
• Forex Earnings (2025): ₹51,532 crore.

Flagship Schemes & Initiatives

1. Swadesh Darshan (2014)
   1. Thematic circuits: Ramayana, Buddhist, Coastal, Tribal, Himalayan, Heritage.
   1. 76 projects sanctioned; 75 completed.
2. Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (2023)
   1. Focus: sustainable destinations (tourist + destination centric).
   1. 52 projects, ₹2108.87 crore sanctioned.
   1. Challenge-Based Destination Development (CBDD) → 42 destinations, 36 approved projects by 2026.
3. PRASHAD (2014)
   1. Pilgrimage infrastructure & spiritual heritage.
   1. 54 projects in 28 states/UTs worth ₹1168+ crore.
   1. Examples: Tripura Sundari Temple, Somnath Promenade, Hazratbal Shrine, Patna Sahib.
4. Dekho Apna Desh (2020)
   1. Promotes domestic tourism via campaigns, roadshows, webinars.
   1. ‘People’s Choice’ poll → citizen engagement.
5. Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-I 2023, VVP-II 2025)
   1. Tourism as tool for border area development.
   1. VVP-I: 46 blocks (19 districts) in northern border states.
   1. VVP-II: Budget ₹6839 crore till 2028–29; expands to ILB villages in 15+ states.
6. SASCI (2025)
   1. Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment.
   1. 40 projects worth ₹3295.76 crore with 100% central funding.
   1. Aim: develop iconic global tourist centres.
7. Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP)
   1. Skill training for local communities, women, tribals.
   1. Paryatan Mitra / Paryatan Didi initiative.
8. Digital Initiatives
   1. Incredible India Digital Portal & Content Hub (revamped 2024).
   1. AI-powered chatbot, booking integration.
   1. 294.76 crore domestic tourist visits logged (2024).
9. One India, One Registration (NIDHI portal, 2025)
   1. Objective: Improve service quality in domestic & international tourism.
   1. Homestay Classification:
      1. Gold Category & Silver Category under Incredible India Homestay Establishments.
      1. Covers rural and tribal areas.
   1. Funding Support:
      1. States/UTs can get up to ₹5 crore for 5–10 homestays per village (cluster of 5–6 villages).
   1. Budget 2025-26: Collateral-free Mudra Loans for Homestays announced → encourages rural/tribal tourism, boosts local entrepreneurship.
10. Tribal Tourism Circuits
    1. Funding for tribal homestays: up to ₹5 lakh for new rooms, ₹3 lakh renovation.
11. MICE Tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions)
    1. Bharat Mandapam, Yashobhoomi positioned as hubs.
    1. India targets 5%+ share of $1.4 trillion global MICE industry by 2030.
12. Other Sub-sectors
    1. Festival Tourism: Utsav Portal.
    1. Adventure Tourism: 120+ new peaks opened.
    1. Wedding Tourism: “India Says I Do”, “Wed in India”.
    1. Cruise Tourism: Cruise Bharat Mission (2024–29), 51 circuits planned.
    1. Pilgrimage Tourism: Budget 2024–25 → 50 new destinations.
    1. Medical Tourism: “Heal in India” initiative, Ayurveda + Yoga integration.

Opportunities:

• Cultural diplomacy & soft power booster.
• Major forex earner & job creator (esp. women/youth).
• Growth driver for border villages & tribal regions.
• Synergy with Digital India, Skill India, Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Challenges:

• Overtourism & carrying capacity issues (Himalayan states, coastal belts).
• Environmental degradation (waste, water stress, fragile ecosystems).
• Uneven regional spread → over-focus on iconic sites.
• Need for last-mile connectivity (roads, rail, airstrips).
• Skilling gaps in hospitality workforce.
• Dependence on global shocks (pandemics, conflicts, climate).

Way Forward:

• Sustainability first: eco-certifications, green transport, waste management.
• Community-driven tourism: tribal, women-led initiatives.
• Diversification: MICE, wedding, cruise, adventure, medical tourism.
• Digital & Smart Tourism: AI-driven itineraries, immersive VR/AR experiences.
• Regional balance: promote NE, border, rural, eco-sensitive sites.
• Strengthen India’s global tourism brand through credible governance + PPP models.