Union Labour and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday, 29 May 2026 congratulated TOPS athlete Pooja after she won gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships, clearing 1.93 metres in the high jump to break the National Record.

Context

Mandaviya took to X to celebrate the feat, writing: 'Stellar performance by TOPS athlete Pooja to win Gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships. Her 1.93m jump breaks the National Record.' The minister, who oversees national sports policy, added a personal note wishing her 'the best for a bright future.'

Pooja competes under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), a central government programme that identifies and funds elite athletes with potential for Olympic and international medals. Her gold medal represents one of the most visible returns on that investment at the under-20 continental level.

Policy Backdrop

TOPS was launched in 2014 to provide financial support, specialised coaching, and scientific assistance to top Indian athletes aiming for the highest international podiums. The scheme has since expanded its roster to cover disciplines beyond the traditional medal-earning sports, with athletics receiving growing attention.

Complementing TOPS is the Khelo India programme, introduced in 2017, which focuses on grassroots talent identification and infrastructure. Together, the two initiatives form the backbone of India's high-performance sport strategy, linking early talent pipelines to elite funding at the national level.

India has steadily raised its medal ambitions at multi-sport events since the mid-2010s, combining central schemes with state-level infrastructure and private partnerships. Field events such as the high jump have historically been under-represented in India's international medal haul, making a national record at a continental championship particularly significant.

Stakeholders and Impact

For the Athletics Federation of India and young track-and-field athletes across the country, Pooja's performance signals that the structured support ecosystem is producing results at the under-20 level. A 1.93m clearance in the high jump places her among the top young jumpers in Asia and raises expectations ahead of senior international competitions.

TOPS-enrolled athletes receive customised training grants, access to foreign coaching camps, and scientific monitoring. Pooja's gold and national record are likely to strengthen the case for sustained and possibly expanded funding for field-event athletes in the next review cycle of the scheme.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether Pooja can carry this form into senior-level qualification events on the road to the next Olympic cycle. Parliamentary scrutiny of sports funding during the upcoming monsoon session is expected to reference performances like hers as evidence of scheme effectiveness.

Any revision to TOPS coverage or expansion of Khelo India centres announced in forthcoming budget statements will be watched closely by the athletics community as India seeks to convert grassroots investment into podium finishes on the world stage.