The 100m sprint remains the gold standard of speed in athletics, a discipline where every hundredth of a second counts.
In Indian track and field, the list of the fastest sprinters over this distance reflects a blend of past legacy and emerging talent, but also underlines the gap that remains at the continental and global level.
Women’s 100m – A Stalled Chart
At the top of India’s women’s 100m all-time list is Dutee Chand, who clocked 11.17 seconds on 21 June 2021. It remains the fastest legal time by an Indian woman over the distance. However, the context matters.
Dutee is currently serving a four-year ban due to doping violations, which puts a shadow over the future of the record and the athlete’s career.
Going back 25 years, Rachita Mistry (then Rachita Panda) held the national record with a time of 11.26 seconds, set on 5 July 2000.
That performance held its place at the top for more than two decades, underlining the stagnation in women’s sprinting in the country. Despite advances in training and exposure, few have closed the gap since then.
Merlin K Joseph ran 11.35 seconds in September 2013, marking one of the better performances in the last decade, while Srabani Nanda (11.36, June 2021) and R. Giridharani (11.36, October 2023) are the only other women under 11.40 in the all-time top five.
These times are significantly slower when compared to regional and global standards. The Asian record is 10.79 seconds, held by Liu Xiaomei of China (1997), while the world record—10.49 seconds—belongs to Florence Griffith-Joyner of the USA, set in 1988.
India’s fastest time is 0.38 seconds behind the Asian record and 0.68 seconds behind the world mark—an eternity in sprinting terms.
The limited depth in this list—only five women under 11.36 over a 25-year period—points to a broader issue: a lack of sustained pipeline development.
There’s a dire need for fresh talent, structured training programs, and performance-focused coaching to narrow the gap. Indian women’s sprinting clearly needs a reset, not just in talent but also in infrastructure and approach.
Men’s 100m – Progress but Not There Yet
The men’s all-time list shows more recent activity and tighter timings, though the top end still lags significantly behind Asia’s elite.
Gurindervir Singh leads the pack with a national best of 10.20 seconds, clocked on 28 March 2025, a result that pushed Indian sprinting into a new range but remains 0.37 seconds off the Asian record of 9.83 seconds, held by Su Bingtian of China since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Notably, Manikanta Hoblidar ran 10.22 seconds on the same day as Gurindervir, suggesting a fast track and ideal race conditions in the national circuit.
This marks a rare occurrence of two Indian sprinters breaching the 10.25 barrier on the same day, offering a glimpse of competitive depth developing within the country.
Third on the list is Amlan Borgohain, with a 10.25 seconds run from August 2022, a performance that briefly held national prominence. Amiya Mallick, the first Indian to officially break 10.30 seconds back in April 2016, remains fourth with his 10.26 seconds, showing the longevity of his mark.
The fifth and sixth slots are shared by Animesh Kujur and Pranav Gurav, both clocking 10.27 seconds, in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
Compared to women’s sprinting, men’s sprinting in India shows more vibrancy. Four of the six fastest times have come in the last three years, and the 10.20–10.30 band now features several names.
That suggests that national competitions are becoming more competitive and that athletes are benefiting from improved facilities, coaching, and exposure.
Yet, the elephant in the room remains. The 100m is often won in the world arena with times in the 9.7 to 9.8 range. Even to challenge at the Asian level, sub-10.00s performances are a must. India is still a long way from that benchmark.
Building Speed, Chasing Time
India’s fastest sprinters—both men and women—have made incremental progress, but the data shows two distinct trends. The men’s field is growing stronger, with multiple athletes converging near the national record, while the women’s field remains stagnant, with few names breaking through in recent years.
The current generation of men led by Gurindervir, Manikanta, and Amlan, offers hope. However, translating 10.2-range timings into consistent international performances remains a challenge.
For the women, a generational leap is required. With Dutee Chand out due to suspension and Rachita’s mark now a quarter-century old, India’s women sprinters need a serious revival plan—rooted in grassroots scouting, long-term athlete development, and global exposure.
Ultimately, to bridge the time gap with Asia and the world, Indian athletics needs more than just individual brilliance—it needs a system that churns out 10.1 and 11.1 athletes every year. That’s the real race India must win.
