Union Labour and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday, 13 June 2026 congratulated Indian track and field athlete Tejas Shirse for setting a new national record in the Men's 110m Hurdles with a time of 13.27 seconds, calling it 'a proud moment for Bharat.'

Context

Mandaviya took to X to share the achievement, writing: 'Congratulations to Tejas Shirse for shattering the Men's 110m Hurdles National Record with a stunning 13.27s finish. Keep making the nation proud!' The post, accompanied by a video, was among the minister's public acknowledgements of elite athletic performances — a practice that has become a consistent feature of his social media engagement since assuming the sports portfolio.

The 110m hurdles is a discipline where India has historically had limited international depth, making a record-breaking performance particularly significant for the country's athletics community.

Policy Backdrop

Shirse's achievement sits within a broader government push to develop elite athletics talent. The Khelo India scheme, launched in 2017, has provided financial and infrastructural support to athletes at both grassroots and elite levels, while the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), introduced in 2014, offers targeted assistance to athletes preparing for the Olympics and other major international competitions.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI), the national governing body, is responsible for ratifying such national records and organising the domestic competitions at which they are set. Record-breaking performances in track and field are increasingly cited by the government as evidence of returns on its sustained investment in sports infrastructure and athlete welfare over the past decade.

Stakeholders and Impact

For Tejas Shirse, the record marks a significant career milestone and is likely to raise his profile within the national athletics circuit. Elite athletes and youth sports aspirants across the country often look to such moments as validation that Indian track and field can compete at higher levels.

Government ministers highlighting individual records on social media also serves a secondary purpose: normalising sports as a viable and celebrated career path for young Indians, a key messaging goal of the current sports policy framework.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether Shirse will represent India at upcoming international meets, including Asian Athletics Championships or World Athletics events, where his new national-record time could be tested against continental and global competition. Any government announcement of enhanced training support, TOPS inclusion, or financial incentives for Shirse would be the next concrete policy development to watch.

If the momentum holds, Shirse's record could mark the beginning of a new chapter for Indian hurdling — one that the government will be keen to amplify as multi-sport events approach on the calendar.