India might not have had a golden running streak at the International sports event but it most certainly has produced quality athletic runners. Usain bolt is probably the only name that strikes our brain cells when the term ‘sprinter’ rings. 

But what we are going to see now is a list of top Indian athletic sprinters who have turned heads worldwide to their superlative performances in the sports meets. There are names you know and there are names that’s probably going to get you off-guard. So buckle-up for the fun filled ride.

Taranjeet Kaur

One of the India’s fastest running athlete under-21, Taranjeet Kaur has had a fantastic 2021 last year by bagging many medals under the 100m running events. She has won gold medal in 100m at the Nationals Open Championship with a record timing of just 11.50 secs. 

Born in Delhi in 2001, Taranjeet has been training from a very young age specializing in 100m and 200m sprints. She has many medals under her belt thanks to her agility on the track fields. Watch this space for more as she has the potential to make it big in the international sports events as well.

Anil Kumar Prakash

A prominent name in the Indian sports world, a name that held the record for the fastest time taken to complete 100m at national levels till 2016. Anil Kumar Prakash is one of the elite runners in the Indian squad who broke many records at the 2005 National Circuit Athletic Meet in 100m sprint category.

Born in 1978 in Alappuzha in Kerala, Anil began his professional career way back in 1997 having broken his first ever record set by Rajeev Balakrishnan in 100m. Cut to 2000s, he went on to bag more medals at the National level circuit meets having been the fastest Indian athlete till 2016 when his record was finally broken. 

Rajeev Balakrishnan

Just before Anil shattered his record, Rajeev was a household name in the National sprints. He was the fastest Indian back during the late 90s where he set the record of running 100m at 10.32 seconds. Rajeev Balakrishnan was based in the US for his career but he went on to win many track events held in India. He was 26 when he set the record for the fastest runner in June 7.

Indian legend Mikha Singh had placed his bets on Rajeev during the early stages of his career to break records at the 200m sprint events.

Merlin K Joseph

Kerala has been always very consistent in producing the best of talents when it comes to another sporting world. It was 2013 when an underdog Merlin K Joseph, a railway sprinter, hailing from the bustling city of Kerala entered the world of sprinting to break a 13-year old record set by former athlete Rachita Mistry.

Despite having the odds by her side, Merlin managed to win only third place at the final round in 100m but she has broken the 13-year old record by clocking just 11.35 seconds. It was 0.03 secs faster than the then record which made her an overnight sensation.

Mikha Singh

Saving the best for the last, Mikha Singh was undoubtedly the very first names to have got the world to turn around for an Indian Athlete. Born in 1929, he served the Indian army while taking part in the National level circuits. He represented India at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne.

He was the known as the ‘flying Sikh’, thanks to his unrivalled agility to put his competitors behind him. He was awarded Padma Shri for his selfless contribution to the Indian sports.


Despite adding more medals to their display, all these athletes had one thing in common, to make India proud in the International level. They have right now set the hopes higher for India to make it big in the upcoming National and International sports events. Watch this space for more.