New Delhi, 15th November 2025: — After successful Regional Abilympics across Chennai, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Guwahati, the much-awaited National Abilympics 2025 and 12th National Conference on Disability (NCD) are set to take place in New Delhi this November. The 12th NCD, organized by Sarthak Educational Trust in collaboration with the National Abilympic Association of India (NAAI) and supported by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), TPCDT, and IndusInd Bank, will be held on November 20–21, 2025, at the Civil Services Officers Institute (CSOI), New Delhi. A 22-member Russian delegation including 10 candidates are participating in the Indian Abilympics competition for the second consecutive year. The initiative emphasizes the significance of expanding support for people with disabilities and fostering bilateral ties between Russia and India in this field.
The two day conference will be graced by Shri Ravinder Singh (Indraj), Minister of Social Justice & Welfare for SC & ST, Dr. Vineet Joshi, Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC), Shri Rajiv Kumar, Former Election Commissioner of India, Ms. Manmeet Kaur Nanda, Additional Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Mr. Pradeep Kharola, Director General (DG) of the National Testing Agency (NTA), Shri Himal Tewari, CHRO and Chief CSR & Sustainability, Tata Power, Shri Lov Verma, Former Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DePwD), Government of India, Shri Krishan Kalra, President, NAAI & Former President, AIMA, Dr. Jitender Aggarwal, Founder & CEO, Sarthak Educational Trust & Secretary General, NAAI, Shri Siddhartha Rastogi, Managing Director, Ambit Asset Management along with other dignitaries. The event will bring together government leaders, corporates, NGOs, media representatives, and persons with disabilities to deliberate on the evolving landscape of inclusion, skill development, and sustainability in India.
Now in its 12th edition, the National Conference on Disability (NCD) has become one of India’s foremost platforms for driving the disability inclusion agenda. Over the years, it has been graced by dignitaries such as Hon’ble Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and the Former Vice President of India, who inaugurated the Sarthak Global Resource Centre during a previous edition. The 2025 conference will be anchored around the theme “Sustainable Development Goals and Disability Inclusion”, focusing on integrating disability perspectives across key SDGs for true inclusive growth.
This year’s agenda includes impactful sessions such as Partnerships for an Inclusive India, Employer Panel on Equal Opportunity, Early Intervention & Inclusive Education, Technology & Innovation for Inclusion, PwD Leaders’ Panel: Voices of Change, and Media & Narratives: Shaping Inclusion.
The event will also feature an Assistive Devices Display, and the release of Sarthak’s Coffee Table Book, making the conference both celebratory and solution-oriented.
The National Abilympics 2025, to be held alongside the conference, will bring together medalists from four regional events South Zone (Chennai), West Zone (Mumbai), North Zone (Lucknow), and East & North East Zone (Guwahati). Over 500 participants from more than 20 states competed across diverse skill categories such as ICT, Crafts, Hospitality, and Services during the regional rounds. These 60+ winners will now compete at the national stage, with the best talents advancing to represent Team India at the 11th International Abilympics 2027 in Finland, widely known as the “Work Skill Olympics” for Persons with Disabilities.
Speaking ahead of the event, Dr. Jitender Aggarwal, Secretary-General of NAAI and Founder & CEO of Sarthak Educational Trust, said, “The National Abilympics and NCD mark not just the culmination of a year-long journey, but a reaffirmation of India’s commitment to inclusion. Through this platform, we’re turning skill into opportunity and opportunity into empowerment. Our mission to train 10 million Persons with Disabilities and facilitate 2 lakh sustainable jobs by 2027 continues to guide every effort we make.”
Over the past year, the regional Abilympics have uncovered inspiring stories of resilience from rural Assam to metropolitan Mumbai showing that skill knows no boundaries. With strong government partnerships and corporate participation, the upcoming national event promises to be a defining moment in India’s journey toward inclusive and sustainable growth for all.
