Movies like Chak De! India and Dangal, which were a cultural reset in themselves, have made the idea of Indian women in sports a lot more mainstream than before. But as much as we needed these movies, what we need even more are real-life examples. We need more sportswomen girls of all ages can look up to. And we do not need to look too far for them. There are many female athletes in India, let alone the world, who are showcasing their skills honed by sheer grit and hard work. Here are 12 women in sports who have made the country proud in the year 2024.
1. Manu Bhaker
Manu Bhaker became the first woman to win a medal in shooting for India at the Olympic Games 2024. By securing two bronze medals, she not only became the first Indian woman to win a medal in the sport, but also the first to win multiple medals in a single game. Manu is an all-rounder with versatile interests like boxing, skating, martial arts, and, of course, shooting.
2. Avani Lekhara
Speaking of firsts, here’s another proud moment for the country. Avani Lekhara became the first Indian woman to win two Gold Medals at the Paralympics. When Avani made her debut at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, she won her first Gold for the country in the 10m air rifle shooting. At the Paris Paralympics, won a Gold and created a new record, shattering her own previous record made three years ago. 22-year-old Avani did not let the accident that bound her to a wheelchair when she was only 11, bring her down. Encouraged by her father, she turned to archery as a means of rehabilitation, and slowly found her passion and talent for shooting from there.
3. Sheetal Devi
Para-archer Sheetal Devi became the youngest Indian Paralympic medalist at the age of 17. She won a Bronze medal in the mixed compound archery team event. Born with a rare congenital disorder that affects the development of your limbs, she hit a bullseye while operating the bow using her mouth, shoulders and feet. Sheetal is also only the second armless archer in history to have won a Paralympic medal.
4. Diana Pundole
Breaking barriers for all Indian women in sports, Diana became the first female athlete from India to win the MRF Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024, held in Chennai. In a sport that is known to be dominated by men, this teacher-turned-car racer is definitely shattering some glass ceilings. And as a mother of two, she is showing us all that women do not have to choose between having a family or a national level title.
5. Preethi Pal
Preethi Pal made history for India by becoming the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win two medals at the Paris Paralympics 2024. She won bronze medals in the 100m and 200m T35 race events. She is the first and only Indian woman track athlete to win a medal at the Paralympics, and add to that a double victory. Preethi recalls how there was a lot of negativity when she was born with cerebral palsy, her feet an addition to the supposed disability of being a female. But it is her hard work, passion, and determination to succeed no matter what that has brought her this well-deserved glory.
6. Sheetal Raj
On October 8, 2024, Sheetal Raj became the first Indian woman to climb Mt. Cho Oyu, the 6th highest summit in the world. Mountaineering is not new for 29-year-old Sheetal who has already scaled peaks of Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchenjunga, and Mt. Annapurna, and has added a new record to her name. She encourages all women to give into their need for adventure and all the challenges that come with it, knowing that achieving great heights is always within their capabilities.
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7. Manisha Ramadass
Manisha Ramadass secured a spot in the Sports history of India as the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic medal in badminton. Inspired by the world of sports since she was only 11, this woman athlete did not let Erb’s Palsy hold her back from her well-earned success. Manisha became World No. 1 in para-badminton in her first year of competition itself.
8. Deepthi Jeevanji
After becoming the first Indian to win a Gold medal at the World Para Athletics Championships in May 2024, Deepthi Jeevanji set another record at the Paris Paralympics later in the year. At the World Championships held in Kobe, Japan, Deepthi won Gold in the women’s 400m T20 category. At the Paralympics 2024, Deepthi won a bronze medal in the T20 400m race. This made her the only Indian athlete with an intellectual impairment to have won a medal at the games.
9. Rupa Bayor
In 2024, Rupa Bayor became the first Taekwondo athlete in the country, to be included in the World Top 10 Poomsae Ranking. Losing her father before she was a teenager, and being the second oldest of the four siblings, her life has been nothing short of difficult. Her uncle, a karate master himself, started training her to let her have a better outlet for her aggression. This is what led her find her passion for Taekwondo. At just 23, Arunachal Pradesh’s Rupa is now ranked No. 9 by World Taekwondo.
10. Rakshitha Raju
Rakshitha, born with a visual impairment, became the first Indian woman to compete in the T11 1500m race at Paralympics 2024. She achieved another ‘first’ to her name by winning a gold medal at the Asian Para Games 2022. Rakshitha from Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, found her passion for racing as a student at the Ashakirana School for the Blind.
11. Simran Sharma
Surpassing the limits of her visual impairment here’s another female athlete. Simran Sharma brought back a bronze medal for the country in the T20 200m race at the Paris Paralympics 2024. She ran alongside her guide, Abhay Singh, who also was her partner when she won a gold at the 2024 World Championship held in Kobe.
12. Bilquis Mir
Bilquis Mir, a decorated canoeist and kayaker from Kashmir, became the first Indian woman to serve on the Paris Olympics Jury. Struggling through all that comes with being an ambitious female athlete in a patriarchal society, Bilquis has proven that it is not just the games that are being dominated by the Indian women in sports. They even have a seat at the table. And with only two Jury members being chosen from Asia, it made her selection more remarkable for the country.
Instead of forcing the idea of playing with dolls and tea sets, it’s time we let girls choose for themselves. Let them also wander into the aisles adorned with cricket kits, archery equipment and badminton rackets. You never know what kind of innate skills might lead to finding her name in a list of Indian women in sports just like this one.
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