Inaugural National Indoor Athletics Championships 2026

The 1st National Indoor Athletics Championships 2026 began on March 24, 2026, at Kalinga Stadium (Indoor Athletics Stadium) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The two-day event (March 24–25) aims to build India’s indoor athletics ecosystem and provide early-season competitive exposure.

Details:

• 278 entries, including 97 women
• Categories: Senior and Under-20.
• Key athletes: Odisha’s Animesh Kujur (men’s 60m), Tamil Nadu’s Praveen Chithravel (men’s long jump).
• First medal event: Men’s 3,000m on opening day.

Significance: Indoor events use controlled 200m tracks and help athletes prepare year-round, independent of weather. It aligns Indian athletics with global practices and is expected to raise training standards.