Athletes Who Braved the Odds to Make India Proud

In the field of sports, there are several women athletes who have kept the Indian flag flying high. Their contributions are all the more noteworthy given that they had to overcome innumerable obstacles in order to realise their goals.

Women have brought honour to India in several fields, be it politics, academia, activism or sports.In the field of sports, there are several women athletes who have kept the Indian flag flying high.Their contributions are all the more noteworthy given that they had to overcome innumerable obstacles in order to realise their goals.

Besides, it is also necessary to keep in mind the fact that being women they had to overcome barriers, in addition to tradition, prepossessions, patriarchy and conservative views.

Yet they were successful. These women have overcome their struggles in life and on the sporting field. They are working so hard for our honour. Therefore, it is time we appreciate them.

There are many examples and the list goes on and on.

Dipa Karmakar

Dipa Karmakar, an Olympic gymnast, is a living example that one can negotiate anything with confidence and trouble.

Dipa is one of five prominent women gymnasts who have tried the Produnova vault, which is frequently regarded as the most difficult and dangerous vault in gymnastics.

She was a representative of India in both the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. She has also been conferred prestigious awards such as Padma Shri and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.

Since she won her first state championship, she has taken care of her diet and never indulged in anything sweet. In addition to that, she works out for eight hours every day.

Sakshi Malik

Sakshi Malik is an Indian freestyle wrestler. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, she won the bronze medal in the 58 kg category, becoming the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics.

An inspiration to women around the country now, Sakshi, as a child, was motivated to take up wrestling by her grandfather, who was also a wrestler.

A recipient of the Padma Shri and Rajiv Gandhi's Khel Ratna, she has also represented ‘Colors Delhi Sultans’ in the second edition of the Pro Wrestling League and featured in an inspirational video on women empowerment.

Mithali Raj

Mithali Raj is an Indian cricketer and former captain of the India women's national cricket team She is the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket and is considered one of the greatest female cricketers of all time.

She is the recipient of several national and international awards, including the Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World in 2017, Arjuna Award in 2003, the Padma Shri in 2015 and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2021.

Mithali holds numerous records in international cricket. She is the only female cricketer to surpass the 7,000-run mark in Women's One Day International matches

Deepa Malik

We should not overlook India's female para-athletes. Deepa Malik is India's first Paralympic semifinalist. She won the silver medal in shot put at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio and was one of India's oldest challengers at the age of 45 years. She created a New Asian Record in Asian Para Games 2018 and is the only Indian woman to win medals in three consecutive Asian Para Games (2010, 2014, 2018).

Doctors diagnosed a spine tumour in five- time-old Deepa. After many years of her treatment, the tumour returned at 29.

Life took a twist for Deepa when a spinal tumour made walking impossible for her at the age of 29. The spinal tumour had to be operated and 31 surgeries were conducted on Deepa which was healed after 183 stitches between her waist and legs. However, she did not lose hope and kept her fighting spirit alive

Despite being paralysed from waist downwards, Deepa wears many hats apart from being a para athlete. She is also a bike racer, motivational speaker, motor rally participant and entrepreneur. She swims competitively and advocates for impaired people.

Sania Mirza

A popular sportswoman, Sania Mirza is one of the stylish tennis players of all time and an achiever in her own right, having won six major titles.

Sania has taken part in various international competitions, including the Afro- Asian Games, the French Open, the Australian Open, the US Open, Wimbledon, and the Commonwealth Games.

She was appointed Regional UN Women Ambassador to South Asia in November 2014 and is the first South Asian woman to be appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador in the organisation’s history.

Sania has been conferred the Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, and Padma Shri.

She also has the honour of featuring in the BBC’s list of ‘100 Most Inspirational Women’.

MC Mary Kom

Boxing great MC Mary Kom is an inspiration for Indian women in the sport. She is the only woman to win the World Amateur Boxing Championship six times, the only female boxer to have won a medal in each one of the first seven World Championships, and the only boxer (male or female) to win eight World Championship medals.

Nicknamed ‘Magnificent Mary’, she was the only Indian female boxer to have qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where she competed in the flyweight (51 kg) category and won a bronze medal. She also took part in the 2020 Olympics at Tokyo.

In addition to her success on a global scale, she has been an inspiration for many women pugilists, encouraging them to take up the sport.

PV Sindhu

Considered one of India’s most successful sportspersons, Sindhu has won medals at various tournaments such as the Olympics and on the BWF circuit, including gold at the 2019 World Championships.

She is the first and only Indian to become the badminton world champion and only the second individual athlete from India to win two consecutive medals at the Olympic Games.

The stylish 27-year-old shuttler from Hyderabad is currently the nation's torchbearer for badminton. Currently, she is being mentored by former South Korean star Park Tae Sang.

Sindhu is also the first Indian woman to claim two Olympic medals after she won a badminton bronze medal in Tokyo, adding to her silver from Rio 2016.

Also, in 2018 and 2022, she won back- to-back gold medals in the Commonwealth Games. She also clinched gold in Basel during the 2019 World Championship.

Saina Nehwal

A former world no. 1, Saina has won 24 international titles, which includes ten Super series titles. Although she reached the world’s second ranking in 2009, it was only in 2015 that she was able to attain the world number one ranking, thereby becoming the only female player from India and thereafter the second Indian player – after Prakash Padukone – to achieve the feat

She has represented India three times in the Olympics, winning a bronze medal in her second appearance at the London Olympics in 2012.

Despite a decline in her career after 2018, Saina is still well-known in the sport.

Currently 32 years old, she is a native of Hyderabad, like numerous of her professional badminton teammates.

Saina’s current ranking of 33 is far from her career-best ranking of number one at this time. Her most recent medal in a significant competition was at Gold Coast, where she won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

PT Usha

PT Usha is a fabulous woman Indian athlete who earned the epithet “Queen of Indian track and field” during her career. Despite having a humble start, Usha's achievements have inspired women around the world. She represented India in a number of events, including the Olympics, the Asian Games, and a variety of other world crowns.

She has won four Asian gold medals and 7 silver medals. Her athletic accomplishments will be indelibly etched in the minds of Indians forever.

Hima Das

Nicknamed ‘Dhing Express’, Hima is a sprinter from Assam who holds the current Indian national record in 400 metres with a timing of 50.79 seconds that she clocked at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Hima had competed in the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast, Australia, in the 400 metres and the 4×400 metres relay.

The 23-year-old also won the 400 metres final at the World U-20 Championships 2018 held at Tampere, Finland, clocking 51.46 seconds and becoming the first Indian sprinter to win a gold medal at an international track event.

Hima was conferred the Arjuna Award in 2018.

Manu Bhaker

Manu Bhaker is an Olympian who competes at airgun shooting. She represented India at the 2018 ISSF World Cup and won two gold medals. She is the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup.

She also won the gold medal in women's 10m air pistol event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the age of 16, which was her maiden Commonwealth Games appearance.

Deepika Kumari

Deepika Kumari is an Indian professional archer and is currently ranked the World number two.

The 28-year-old archer won a gold medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the women's individual recurve event. She also won a gold medal in the same competition in the women's team recurve event.

She had also bagged individual gold in two of the three stages of the World Cup--one in Guatemala and another in Paris. In the process, she also reclaimed the number one ranking after nine years in the Paris World Cup.

Kumari had qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where she competed in the women's individual and women's team events, finishing in eighth place in the latter.

She was conferred the Arjuna Award, the country’s second highest sporting award, in the year 2012.

Anju Bobby George

Anju Bobby George made history when she won the bronze medal in the long jump at the 2003 World Championships in athletics in Paris. With this achievement, she became the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in a World Championships in Athletics jumping 6.70 metres

She went on to win the gold medal at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005, a performance she considers her best.

Anju was upgraded to the gold status from silver in the 2005 World Athletics Final in Monte Carlo following the disqualification of Tatyana Kotova of Russia by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2002, Khel Ratna in 2003 and Padma Shri in 2004

Dipika Pallikal

Dipika is an Indian professional squash player. She is the first Indian to break into the top 10 in the PSA Women's rankings.

Dipika came to prominence in 2011, when she won three WISPA tour titles. She broke into the top 10 in December 2012.

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