10 Inspiring Indian Sports Women who are an Inspiration to Millions

Gone are the days when a woman’s role was only limited to being the backbone of her family. Today, she’s much more than that. She is the backbone of the entire society. In every industry and sphere, women are proving their mettle. Be it social service, entrepreneurship or sports, women play a major role in empowering the society. Among the many hats they wear, there are some women in our country who have achieved phenomenal growth as female athletes and sports icons.

Know more about these inspiring Indian sports women:

Female Sports Players in India

Image source - Femina

1. PT Usha

Also referred to as the “Queen of Indian track and field”, PT Usha is a sporting legend and Indian female athlete. Despite coming from a low-income family, Usha’s success story has inspired several women worldwide. She made her motherland proud by representing India in international competitions including Olympics, Asian Games and other world championships. Once she even broke her own track and field record. As a sportsperson, her achievements are etched in the hearts of every Indian.  

Image source - The Times of India

2. Mary Kom

The name ‘Mary Kom’ says it all. If you’ve watched the famous Bollywood biopic that stars Priyanka Chopra in the lead, you’re probably aware of her struggles as a female athlete. When it comes to women’s boxing, Mary Kom is a living legend. She is the only woman to have won the world amateur boxing championship six times. Mary has actually made people believe that nothing is impossible. She even represented India at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Besides her success on the global stage, she has also inspired budding women boxers to take up their sport irrespective of their social status and where they come from.

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Image source - Economic Times

3. Dipa Karmakar

The Olympian gymnast, Dipa Karmakar has proved the fact that anything can happen with true dedication and courage. She was born in Agartala and touched the pinnacle of success by representing India at a global level. Dipa is one of five notable female gymnasts to have attempted Produnova, one of the most difficult vaults in gymnastics. She competed for India in the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. She is also a Padma Shri and has been one of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardees. As a sportsperson, she is an inspiration to many people. Ever since her first stint in state-level championships, she hasn’t eaten sweets. She also trains for 8 hours a day.

Image source - DNA India

4. PV Sindhu

P V Sindhu is a young Indian badminton superstar. Born in Hyderabad to parents who play volleyball at a national level, Sindhu has actively participated in and won several badminton tournaments after completing her formal college education. She is also the first Indian to become a world badminton champion. Also, in March 2020, she was named the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year. As a female sports player, she is an inspiration to many. Sindhu has been awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, Padma Shri, and Arjuna award.

Image source - The Times of India

5. Sakshi Malik

Sakshi Malik is India’s first female Olympic wrestling champion. She won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in the 58kgs wrestling category. Her grandfather inspired her to wrestle when she was younger. Sakshi is also a Padma Shri and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee. Besides making headlines in the field of sports, Sakshi is also a member of the ‘Colors Delhi Sultans’ and #EveryWomanStrong campaign.

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Image source - AmarUjala

6. Mithali Raj

If there is one female athlete who is defying the notion that cricket is a “gentleman’s game”, it has to be Mithali Raj. She is the test and ODI captain of the Women’s National Cricket team. As an opening batswoman, Mithali has also been the highest run scorer in Women’s international cricket. She has also bagged several national and international awards including the Wisden leading woman cricketer in the world in 2017, Arjuna award in 2003, and the Padma Shri in 2015, by the Government of India. Mithali will always be remembered as a top female sports icon.

Image source - Paralympic.org

7. Deepa Malik

While there are several female athletes in India, let’s not miss the women para athletes. Deepa Malik is the first Indian woman to win a medal in the Paralympic games. She won a silver medal in shot put in the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics. She was one of the oldest athletes in the Indian contingent and was 45 years of age at that time. When Deepa was five years old, she was diagnosed with a spine tumour. Despite years of treatment, her spine tumour returned when she was 29. It took three surgeries and 183 stitches to eliminate the cancerous tumour off her body. Though Deepa is paralysed from waist down, she wears many hats. Apart from being a para athlete, she is also a professional swimmer, motor rally driver, motivational speaker, bike racer, entrepreneur and a disability activist.

Image source - The Mint

8. Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza is literally a household name in India. She is one of the greatest tennis players in our country, having won six Grand Slam titles in her career. Sania has won many accolades and medals in major tournaments across the world including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, French Open, Australian Open, US Open, Afro-Asian Games, and Wimbledon. She constantly encourages women to display their talent and pursue their dreams. Some of the awards conferred upon her include the Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Padma Shri, and she was included in BBC’s 100 inspiring women list.

Image source - The Times of India

9. Dutee Chand

Dutee Chand is one of India’s youngest female sprinters. Her journey started when she aspired to become a national athlete like her sister, Saraswati Chand. Dutee became the first Indian sprinter to win a gold at the World Universiade in 2019 by running 100 metres in 11.32 seconds. In 2019, Dutee openly discussed her sexuality. She is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. She has been an inspiration on and off the field. She also became subject to controversy when her testosterone levels were higher than a normal female due to a clinical condition called hyperandrogenism. However, nothing stopped her from fulfilling her dreams, and she went on to make India proud.

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Image source - Olympics

10. Geeta Phogat

Geeta Phogat is India’s first woman wrestler who won gold for the country at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Her incredible success story was also made into a Bollywood film starring Amir Khan, Dangal. The oldest of four daughters, Geeta was trained by her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat. She has competed at several World wrestling championships and has emerged as a winner. After her marriage and the birth of her child, Geeta took a break from wrestling. However, recently, she announced that she wants to prove herself yet again. Truly inspirational, Geeta!

How inspiring are these wonderful journeys of these Indian female athletes? May they continue to make our country proud in everything that they do!