Indian athletics has produced steady progress across multiple disciplines in recent years, but few events have experienced a transformation as dramatic as Indian men’s high jump in 2025.
What once sat on the periphery of India’s medal conversations is suddenly within touching distance of the world’s elite. The catalyst for this shift was Sarvesh Anil Kushare’s historic performance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, backed by a deeper domestic field that reached levels of consistency rarely seen in the past decade.
The 2025 season may well be remembered as the year Indian men’s high jump stepped out of its developmental phase and began competing not occasionally, but consistently at global standards. And crucially, it has laid the foundation for a strategic push toward the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympic cycle.
Sarvesh Kushare: The Breakthrough That Changed Everything
For years, Indian high jump admirers believed a world-class breakthrough was possible, but the moment remained elusive. That changed in September 2025 when 30-year-old Sarvesh Kushare cleared 2.28m in the World Championships final, finishing sixth India’s best-ever result in the event.
Only one centimetre below the national record held by Tejaswin Shankar, Kushare’s performance was more than a personal milestone; it served as a confirmation that Indian high jumpers can produce under the brightest lights. His route to the final reinforced this maturity. A clearance of 2.25m in qualification the highest height ever cleared by an Indian at a global meet secured him a spot among the world’s top 12. And in the final, he delivered a career-best jump in one of the most intense environments of global athletics.
Kushare narrowly missed 2.31m, a height that proved decisive in the medal standings, but his competitive resilience, composure, and technical refinement have ushered in a new era. For the first time, Indian high jump enters a season with a realistic target of breaching the 2.30m mark not hypothetically, but as a structured, high-performance goal.
A Historic Year, but Also a Strategic Turning Point
Kushare’s rise is important not just because of its headline value, but because of the strategic clarity it brings. His jump of 2.28m places him at the very edges of global medal contention. At the 2025 World Championships, bronze required 2.31m. At the Asian level, Woo Sang-hyeok and the region’s top athletes routinely clear 2.30m–2.33m. This is the new benchmark, and Kushare has placed India’s flag right next to it.
The priority now is simple: breaking 2.30m early in 2026, ideally within controlled indoor environments, where conditions are stable and technical precision can be optimized. The upcoming National Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar and India’s bid for the 2028 Asian Indoor Championships align perfectly with this goal, creating structured pathways for elite jumpers to train and compete at international standards.
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While Kushare has emerged as India’s global contender, the domestic depth chart also made significant strides in 2025. Four of the top five jumpers achieved personal or season bests of 2.18m or higher, marking the most competitive domestic field India has ever seen. But this depth is not yet consistent. J. Adarsh Ram reached new heights with a personal best of 2.21m, establishing himself as the clear second-best jumper. However, his season exposed the fragility that still exists in India’s second tier.
His bronze-medal jump of 2.09m at the South Asian Championships a staggering 12cm below his best was a reminder that Indian high jumpers still struggle in low-pressure environments, where field standards are low and complacency creeps in. Adarsh regained form at the National Open with a 2.18m clearance, but the inconsistency remains a hurdle in his progression toward Asian-level competitiveness.
Meanwhile, Rohit and Swadhin Majhi each delivered strong seasons at 2.18m. Rohit’s count-back victory at the National Open showcased technical precision under pressure, while Majhi’s rise from the Odisha High Performance Centre confirms the value of structured regional development. Yet both athletes remain short of the 2.22m–2.24m range that is essential to consistently challenge Kushare and eventually replace him in the long run.
Tejaswin Shankar’s Evolving Role
National record holder Tejaswin Shankar remains a prominent name in the high jump conversation, but 2025 indicated a clear shift in his athletic trajectory. His season best of 2.19m came within the decathlon framework, where he set a national record of 7826 points. Shankar’s future is now firmly anchored in combined events, where high jump remains an important component rather than a standalone pursuit.
This shift is significant for high jump strategy: India must now rely on dedicated specialists like Kushare rather than multi-event athletes to lead international representation.
Bridging the Gap to Asian Podiums
If India is to convert its promise into medals at the 2026 Asian Games, two parallel tracks must advance:
- Kushare must be elevated into the 2.30m–2.32m bracket through international exposure and technical refinement.
- The second tier must be forced into consistent 2.20m performances, eliminating the dips that derail medal potential in lower-stakes competitions.
A training mandate requiring 2.20m clearances twice weekly, coupled with targeted bonuses for 2.24m jumps in domestic events, would be a pragmatic step forward. Additionally, India must maximize its new indoor infrastructure, pushing jumpers to train at higher bars without environmental disruption.
With Kushare at 30 and the second tier aged 25 and above, the current group represents a near-peak generation. To ensure continuity, India must identify and develop U18 and U20 talent capable of reaching 2.15m within two to three years. A dedicated national centre for jumps, equipped with biomechanics labs and year-round indoor training, is essential to sustain growth.
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In 2025, Indian high jump didn’t just improve it evolved. Kushare’s 2.28m leap redefined national expectations, while the emergence of a competitive second tier laid the groundwork for systemic progress. But the road to 2.30m, to Asian Games medals, and to Olympic qualification requires urgent, structured intervention.
India now stands at the edge of a breakthrough era in high jump. The next 18 months will decide whether this moment becomes a historic outlier or the start of a lasting legacy.
