State PCS - Madhya Pradesh (MP PCS)

• 28 Jul 2025

Dev Kumar Sets National Pole Vault Record in FISU

Why in News? 

Madhya Pradesh’s Dev Kumar Meena (from Silphodkheda village, Dewas district) has rewritten the men’s pole vault national record once again, clearing 5.40 metres during the qualifiers at the FISU (Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire/International University Sports Federation) World University Games 2025 in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany.  

• He broke the national record thrice in a year, becoming the first Indian male to reach the World University Games pole vault final. 

About Dev Meena’s Record-Breaking Feat 

• New Record Set: 5.40m in qualifiers, breaking his previous record of 5.35m set at the Federation Cup in Kochi. 
• Previous Progression: 
  • 5.32m – National Games 2025 
  • 5.35m – Federation Cup 2025 
  • 5.40m – FISU World University Games 
• Earlier Record: Subramani Siva’s 5.31m (2022), surpassed by Meena in 2025. 
• Event Details: Cleared 5.05m and 5.25m on first attempts, and broke the record on his second try at 5.40m. 

About India’s Performance at FISU World University Games 2025 

• Total Medals So Far: 5 
• Archery: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze 
• Tennis: Vaishnavi Adkar - Bronze (Women’s Singles) 
• Badminton: Mixed Team - Bronze (July 20) 

What is Pole Vault? 

• The pole vault is a track and field event in which an athlete vaults over a 4.5-metre-long horizontal bar. The vaulter sprints down a runway, plants a long, flexible pole against a ‘stop board’ at the back of a recessed metal box sited centrally at the base of the uprights.  
  • They then launch themselves into the air, seeking to clear the greatest height without knocking the bar to the ground. 

About FISU World University Games 

• FISU is organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the World University Games (also known as the Universiade) is a premier international multi-sport event for student-athletes aged 17–25, held every two years in a different host city. 
  • Guided by the motto "Excellence in Mind and Body," the Games combine elite athletic competition with cultural and educational enrichment, promoting holistic development among global university students. 
• In 2025, the Summer edition was hosted in the Rhine‑Ruhr region of Germany from July 16 to 27, with over 113 countries and thousands of participants.