Anurag Thakur Hails Tejaswin Shankar's Bronze at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
BJP MP Anurag Thakur congratulated Tejaswin Shankar on winning bronze in the Men's Decathlon at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, calling him 'our champion' in a post on X on September 27, 2026. Thakur, a former Union Sports Minister, has consistently championed Indian athletes on the international stage.
Key Takeaways
Tejaswin Shankar won a bronze medal in the Men's Decathlon at Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
BJP MP Anurag Thakur , former Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, congratulated Shankar on September 27, 2026 .
The decathlon spans ten track and field disciplines across two days, making it one of the sport's most demanding events.
Thakur represents Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha and has a direct institutional background in Indian sports administration.
The Khelo India scheme , launched in 2017 , has been a key government pipeline for nurturing athletes competing at Asian Games level.
A decathlete who has long carried India's flag in one of track and field's most gruelling disciplines just added another chapter to his international record. BJP MP Anurag Thakur took to X on Sunday, September 27, 2026, to congratulate Tejaswin Shankar on claiming a bronze medal in the Men's Decathlon at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Thakur's post read: 'Congratulations to our champion Tejaswin Shankar on winning the Bronze in the Men's Decathlon at the Asian Games 2026. Jai Hind đŽđŗ' â a brief but pointed salute from a former Union Sports Minister who knows better than most what a decathlon bronze on Asian soil demands.
Ten Events, One Medal, One Name
The decathlon is where athleticism is stress-tested across ten disciplines â 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m on day one, then 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500m on day two. Finishing on the podium at continental level requires not a single peak performance but ten sustained ones. For Shankar, who has previously made his mark in high jump at international events, a decathlon bronze at the Asian Games represents a significant broadening of his competitive range.Thakur's Sports Ministry Legacy and This Moment
Thakur served as Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports before his current role as BJP Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. His tenure saw the continuation of the Khelo India scheme â launched in 2017 to identify and support grassroots athletic talent with pathways toward events like the Asian Games and Olympics. His congratulatory post, while ceremonial in form, carries a layer of institutional continuity: the minister who oversaw the pipeline now applauding an athlete it helped nurture.India's Medal Hunt at Aichi-Nagoya
The Asian Games 2026, hosted across the Aichi-Nagoya region of Japan, is the next major multi-sport milestone on the continental calendar following the 2023 Hangzhou Games. India arrived at that edition with its most competitive athletics contingent in years, and the 2026 cycle has continued to build on that momentum. Each athletics medal â particularly in combined events like the decathlon â adds to a tally that Indian sporting officials and fans watch with intense scrutiny. One bronze in Aichi-Nagoya for a relentless ten-discipline campaign. Tejaswin Shankar has given India something to cheer â and the clock is already ticking toward the next target.Point of View
Medal-shaped dividends.
NationPress
28 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tejaswin Shankar?
Tejaswin Shankar is an Indian track and field athlete who competes in the decathlon and high jump at international level. He won a bronze medal in the Men's Decathlon at Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
What is the Men's Decathlon in the Asian Games?
The Men's Decathlon is a combined event spanning ten track and field disciplines â 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500m â held over two days. It is one of the most demanding events in athletics.
Where are the Asian Games 2026 being held?
The Asian Games 2026 are being hosted in the Aichi-Nagoya region of Japan, the next edition of the multi-sport continental event after the 2023 Hangzhou Games in China.
What is Anurag Thakur's connection to Indian sports?
Anurag Thakur served as Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports before becoming a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. During his tenure he oversaw programmes like Khelo India, which supports athletes pursuing international competition.
What is the Khelo India scheme?
Khelo India is a central government scheme launched in 2017 to identify and support grassroots sporting talent in India, providing funding and infrastructure pathways for athletes aspiring to compete at events like the Asian Games and the Olympics.
