The 2026 Indian athletics season is officially underway, with athletes beginning their campaigns across both indoor and outdoor competitions. While some Indian stars chose to open their season indoors, others are gearing up for the outdoor circuit and all eyes now shift to Bengaluru.

In a significant rebranding, the Indian Grand Prix has now evolved into the Indian Athletics Series, with its first meet scheduled for April 4 at the iconic Kanteerava Stadium.

As anticipation builds, here are five major Indian athletes who will headline the season opener:

 

1). Murali Sreeshankar (Men’s Long Jump):

Indian athletics fans have been eagerly waiting for Murali Sreeshankar to open his 2026 season and that moment has finally arrived.

Returning from injury last year, Sreeshankar showed impressive consistency, crossing the 8m mark in three out of six competitions. Notably, only three Indian athletes managed to breach the 8m barrier in 2025 Sreeshankar, Shahnawaz Khan, and C.V. Anurag.

With a packed season ahead featuring the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, where he previously clinched silver medals, expectations are high. The qualification marks of 8.05m (CWG) and 7.91m (Asian Games) are well within his reach, making this competition a crucial starting point.

 

2). Ancy Sojan (Women’s Long Jump):

Fresh off a bronze medal at the Asian Indoor Championships, Ancy Sojan is set to begin her outdoor season in Bengaluru.

Her preparations were briefly interrupted by a calf injury, but she now returns to a venue that has historically brought her success. At Kanteerava Stadium, Ancy recorded her personal best of 6.71m in 2024 and also jumped 6.52m at the same venue during IGP-3.

After winning silver at the Asian Championships last year and stepping away from competition post the World University Games, this meet marks an important comeback.

She will face stiff competition from Shaili Singh, India’s second-best long jumper, who will also kick off her 2026 season here.

3). Sarvesh Kushare (Men’s High Jump):


For Sarvesh Kushare, 2026 hasn’t started on the strongest note.

He opened his season with a gold medal at the Indian Open Jumps in Bengaluru but with a modest jump of 2.16m, below his usual standards. This was followed by another underwhelming outing at the National Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar, where he finished second with 2.15m.

However, Kushare’s pedigree cannot be overlooked. He had a stellar 2025 season, finishing sixth at the World Championships in Tokyo with a personal best of 2.28m. The Bengaluru meet could be the platform he needs to rediscover that form.

 

4). Manikanta Hoblidhar (Men’s 100m):


It’s been a difficult start to 2026 for Manikanta Hoblidhar.

A false start at the Asian Indoor Championships and a hamstring pull during the National Open Relays have disrupted his rhythm. But if there’s one place that could inspire a turnaround, it’s Kanteerava Stadium.

This is where he clocked 10.23s in 2023 and broke Amiya Mallick’s national record of 10.26s at the National Open Athletics Championships.

With form and fitness in question, all eyes will be on whether Bengaluru can once again bring out the best in him.

5). Baranica Elangovan (Women’s Pole Vault):

Known as the “Vault Queen of India,” Baranica Elangovan enters the competition with momentum on her side.

At her last outing, she set a new national record by clearing 4.22m at the National Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, surpassing P. Rosy Meena’s previous mark of 4.21m.

She even attempted 4.25m, narrowly missing out, a sign that there’s more to come.

The big question now: can Baranica push the national record even further in Bengaluru?