Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is now the city’s main base for para sport. In February 2025 it hosted the 23rd National Para Athletics Championship, with 1,476 para-athletes from 30 teams competing in 155 events, News On AIR reported, and the state’s sports department lists a para sports arena under construction at the Integrated Sports Complex beside the indoor stadium, according to its 2024-25 policy note.
Tamil Nadu has also produced some of India’s best-known para athletes. After the 2024 Paris Paralympics, the state gave ₹2 crore to silver medallist Thulasimathi Murugesan and ₹1 crore each to three bronze medallists. This guide explains where people with disabilities can train in Chennai, the competitions open to them and the support available.
Where to train in Chennai
- Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Periamet. The state-level training centre here includes para sports facilities, the policy note says. The renovated synthetic track is used by para-athletes in track and field events.
- Integrated Sports Complex, Nehru Indoor Stadium. Site of the para sports arena under construction. We could not find an official completion date.
- SDAT coaching. SDAT engaged two expert coaches specifically for para persons and runs tailored programmes with adaptive equipment, according to the policy note.
To start, visit the SDAT office at Nehru Stadium or the district sports officer’s office and ask about para coaching batches in your sport. Take a copy of your disability certificate or UDID card, because classification starts from that.
Competitions open to para athletes
Chief Minister’s Trophy games. These have a dedicated category for differently abled persons, with events grouped by type of disability. The state-level team events in the 2023 edition included kabaddi for hearing-impaired players, badminton for physically challenged players, adapted volleyball for visually impaired players and throwball for players with intellectual disabilities, each with prizes of ₹3 lakh, ₹2.25 lakh and ₹1.5 lakh for the top three teams. Registration is online through the SDAT CM Trophy portal, usually in mid-year.
State and national championships. The Tamil Nadu Paralympic Sports Association (TNPSA), affiliated to the Paralympic Committee of India, runs state meets and selects state teams. Results at these meets lead to national championships and then international selection.
The 2025 national championship in Chennai
The championship ran at Nehru Stadium from 17 to 20 February 2025. Paralympians including Sumit Antil, Mariyappan Thangavelu and Yogesh Kathuniya competed. According to the TNPSA’s account, Haryana topped the table with 107 medals and Tamil Nadu won 47: 17 gold, 18 silver and 12 bronze. The state announced ₹5 lakh for each gold, ₹3 lakh for silver and ₹2 lakh for bronze won by its athletes.
The event also showed what accessible hosting needs: wheelchair-accessible hotel rooms, low-floor buses, classification assessments and medical teams. Organisers used more than 30 low-floor buses alongside cars and vans.
Tamil Nadu at the Paris Paralympics
| Athlete | Event | Medal | State award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thulasimathi Murugesan | Badminton, women’s singles SU5 | Silver | ₹2 crore |
| Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan | Badminton, women’s singles SH6 | Bronze | ₹1 crore |
| Manisha Ramadass | Badminton, women’s singles SU5 | Bronze | ₹1 crore |
| Mariyappan Thangavelu | Athletics, men’s high jump T63 | Bronze | ₹1 crore |
The awards were presented at the Secretariat on 25 September 2024, The Bridge reported. Mariyappan’s Paris medal was his third at the Paralympics, after gold in Rio and silver in Tokyo.
Money and sponsorship
- Tamil Nadu Champions Foundation. Set up by SDAT to channel corporate and public money to athletes, it had sanctioned over ₹8.83 crore to 397 beneficiaries by the time of the 2024-25 policy note. Athletes apply through its website.
- High cash incentives. SDAT takes online applications for cash awards for medals at major events.
- Sports quota. The 3 percent sports quota in state government recruitment applies to meritorious sportspersons; check each recruitment notice for eligible events.
Before starting a new sport, people with a medical condition should get clearance from their doctor, and classification should be done by an authorised classifier.
Quick answers
Where can para athletes train in Chennai?
At SDAT’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium centre in Periamet, which has para facilities and dedicated coaches. A para arena is being built at the adjoining Integrated Sports Complex.
Can people with disabilities enter the CM Trophy?
Yes. There is a separate category for differently abled persons, with registration on the SDAT portal.
How many medals did Tamil Nadu win at the 2025 nationals in Chennai?
47, including 17 gold, according to the state association.
Who runs para sport in the state?
The Tamil Nadu Paralympic Sports Association, with support from SDAT.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- 23rd National Para Athletics Championship kicks off in Chennai (News On AIR, Prasar Bharati)
- Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department Policy Note 2024-25 (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- CM Trophy 2026 player registration portal (SDAT)
- Chennai hosts 23rd National Para Athletics Championship 2025 (Tamil Nadu Paralympic Sports Association)
- Tamil Nadu CM felicitates Paralympic medal winners (The Bridge)
