Commonwealth Games 2026: All you need to know about Sarvesh Kushare

Sarvesh Anil Kushare has redefined Indian men's high jump over the past two seasons.

The Maharashtra athlete became the first Indian to clear the 2.30m barrier in 2026, broke a national record that had stood for eight years and scripted history with India's first-ever top-3 finish in the Diamond League high jump.

As he prepares for his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow, the 31-year-old heads into the competition in the best form of his career and as one of India's leading medal contenders in athletics.

Early days

Born on June 17, 1995, in Deogaon village in Maharashtra's Nashik district, Sarvesh discovered high jump at school under physical education teacher Raosaheb Jadhav. Training facilities were basic, with makeshift landing pits filled with corn husks and sacks, but his talent quickly stood out.

His rise has had a lasting impact on his village. Inspired by Sarvesh's success, dozens of youngsters have taken up the high jump, with several securing jobs through sport and transforming their families' fortunes.

In 2016, Sarvesh joined the Indian Army as a Naib Subedar in the 101 Field Regiment, giving him the stability and support to pursue athletics at the highest level.

Rising through the ranks

Sarvesh steadily progressed through the national circuit before making his mark internationally.

He won gold at the 2019 South Asian Games and followed it with a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships.

He also represented India at the World Athletics Championships and the Paris Olympics, gaining valuable experience against the world's best high jumpers.

His biggest breakthrough came in 2025 when he became the first Indian male high jumper to qualify for the final of the World Athletics Championships. He finished sixth with a then personal best of 2.28m, recording India's best-ever finish in the event at the championships.

Record-breaking season

The 2026 season has taken Sarvesh to another level.

At the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, he cleared 2.31m to break Tejaswin Shankar's long-standing national record and became the first Indian high jumper to cross the 2.30m mark.

Weeks later, he created another milestone by finishing third on his Diamond League debut in Monaco with a clearance of 2.26m.

The result made him the first Indian high jumper to compete in the prestigious circuit and the first to finish in top-3, beating several established international stars.

Those performances have lifted Sarvesh into the world's top-ranked high jumpers and established him among the leading names in the Commonwealth field.

Eyes on Glasgow

Sarvesh heads to his maiden Commonwealth Games after the finest season of his career.

With a national record of 2.31m, a World Championships final appearance and an excellent debut at the Diamond League in the months leading up to Glasgow, he enters the competition as one of India's strongest medal prospects in athletics.

From practising on makeshift landing pits in rural Maharashtra to rewriting Indian high jump history, Sarvesh's journey has been built on persistence and continuous improvement.

Now the national record holder and the country's most successful male high jumper, he will look to cap a remarkable rise with another memorable performance on the Commonwealth stage.