Indian Female Athletes

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Throughout history, there have been many Indian women sportspersons who have made significant contribution to the field. The list includes many familiar and great Indian female sportspersons such as Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom, P. V. Sindhu, P. T. Usha.
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 1 
P. V. Sindhu
(The First and Only Indian to Become the Badminton World Champion)
P. V. Sindhu
68
Birthdate: July 5, 1995
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

P. V. Sindhu is an Indian badminton player. In 2016, she won the Olympic silver medal in Rio de Janeiro, becoming the first Indian woman to receive an Olympic silver. Sindhu became a national icon following her performance in the 2016 Olympics. In January 2020, she was honored with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award.

 2 
Mary Kom
(Indian Amateur Boxer and the Only Boxer to Win Eight World Championship Medals)
Mary Kom
6
Birthdate: March 1, 1982
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kangathei, Manipur, India
Indian boxing legend Mary Kom, known as “Magnificent Mary,” is the only female to win the World Amateur Boxing championship six times. She has won golds at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, and an Olympic bronze, too. The Padma Vibhushan-winner is also a Rajya Sabha member.
 3 
Mithali Raj
(Cricketer)
Mithali Raj
10
Birthdate: December 3, 1982
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Jodhpur
 4 
Saina Nehwal
(The First Indian Badminton Player to Have Won an Olympic Medal)
Saina Nehwal
53
Birthdate: March 17, 1990
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hisar, Haryana, India

A former world no.1, Saina Nehwal holds the feat of being the only Indian female player and overall the second Indian player to achieve this ranking. She is the first Indian female to have bagged in an Olympic medal in badminton. She was also awarded India's third highest civillian award, the Padma Bhushan.

 

 5 
Sania Mirza
(Indian Professional Tennis Player and a Former Doubles World No. 1)
Sania Mirza
15
Birthdate: November 15, 1986
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

An impressive doubles tennis player, Sania Mirza has six Grand Slam titles under her belt. A former doubles world No. 1, Sania Mirza is one of the greatest Indian female  tennis players ever. In 2005, Sania Mirza was named in Time magazine's 50 Heroes of Asia list. In 2016, she was named in the magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list.

 6 
Jwala Gutta
(Arjuna Award-Winning Indian Badminton Star)
Jwala Gutta
16
Birthdate: September 7, 1983
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Wardha, Maharashtra, India

A 2-time Olympian, Indian badminton star Jwala Gutta was born to a Chinese mother and an Indian father and began training under Padma Shri-winning coach S. M. Arif at age 6. She is an 8-time South Asian Games gold medalist and a Commonwealth Games gold medal winner.

 7 
Tania Sachdev
(Indian Chess Player)
Tania Sachdev
7
Birthdate: August 20, 1986
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Delhi, India

Tania Sachdev is an Indian chess player who has been honored with such FIDE titles as Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and International Master (IM). Since 2008, Sachdev has represented India at the Women's Chess Olympiads as part of the Indian national team. In 2009, she was honored with the prestigious Arjuna Award for her contribution to chess in India.

 8 
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
(Weightlifter)
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
3
Birthdate: August 8, 1994
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Imphal East district
 9 
Anjum Chopra
(Cricketer)
Anjum Chopra
3
Birthdate: May 20, 1977
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Delhi
 10 
P. T. Usha
(Athletics competitor)
P. T. Usha
3
Birthdate: June 27, 1964
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Payyoli

Considered one of the greatest athletes India has ever produced, P. T. Usha is often called the Queen of Indian track and field. She has won 14 gold medals throughout her illustrious career. She missed out on the bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by a hundredth of a second.

 11 
Geeta Phogat
(Wrestler)
Geeta Phogat
11
Birthdate: December 15, 1988
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Balali, Haryana, India
 12 
Koneru Humpy
(Indian Chess Player and the Youngest Woman Ever to Achieve the Title of Grandmaster)
Koneru Humpy
2
Birthdate: March 31, 1987
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Gudivada, Andhra Pradesh, India

Koneru Humpy is an Indian chess player and the current women's world rapid champion. At the age of 15, Humpy became the youngest female chess player to achieve the prestigious Grandmaster title. In 2003, she was honored with India's second-highest sporting honor, the Arjuna Award. In 2007, Koneru Humpy was honored with the Padma Shri Award. 

 13 
Dipika Pallikal Karthik
5
Birthdate: September 21, 1991
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chennai
 14 
Smriti Mandhana
(Indian Cricket Opening batter)
Smriti Mandhana
0
Birthdate: July 18, 1996
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
 15 
Vinesh Phogat
(Wrestler)
Vinesh Phogat
0
Birthdate: August 25, 1994
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bhiwani district, Haryana, India
 16 
Dipa Karmakar
(Artistic gymnast)
Dipa Karmakar
3
Birthdate: August 9, 1993
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Agartala, Tripura, India
 17 
Sangita Phogat
(Wrestler)
Sangita Phogat
0
Birthdate: March 5, 1998
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Balali, Haryana, India
 18 
Karnam Malleswari
(Weightlifter)
Karnam Malleswari
4
Birthdate: June 1, 1975
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India
 19 
Lovlina Borgohain
(Boxer)
Lovlina Borgohain
3
Birthdate: October 2, 1997
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Golaghat, Assam, India

Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain was born into a poor family in Assam and was initially interested in Muay Thai. The Arjuna Award winner made waves after winning a bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She has also won medals at the Asian Championship and the World Championship.

 20 
Babita Kumari
(Wrestler)
Babita Kumari
0
Birthdate: November 20, 1989
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bhiwani, Haryana, India
 21 
Deepika Kumari
(Indian Professional Archer)
Deepika Kumari
3
Birthdate: June 13, 1994
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

Three-time Olympian Deepika Kumari has dominated the Indian archery scene for quite some time now. Currently ranked no. 1 in the world, she has bagged several medals, including an Asian Championship gold. The daughter of a auto-rickshaw driver, she grew up practicing archery with bamboo bows and arrows.

 22 
Padmini Rout
(Chess player)
Padmini Rout
1
Birthdate: January 5, 1994
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Barambagarh, Odisha, India

Apart from being an International Master, Padmini Rout is also a Woman Grandmaster. The Eklavya Award- and Biju Patnaik Sports Award-winning Indian chess player had begun playing the sport at age 9, encouraged by her father. The four-time Indian Women's Champion has also represented India in the Olympics several times.

 23 
Manika Batra
(Table tennis player)
Manika Batra
5
Birthdate: January 15, 1995
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Delhi, India
 24 
Soumya Swaminathan
(Chess player)
Soumya Swaminathan
2
Birthdate: March 21, 1989
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Palakkad, India

Soumya Swaminathan is a chess player who has been honored with FIDE titles, such as Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and International Master (IM). In 2010 and 2012, she represented India at the Women's World Championships. Over the course of her career, Soumya Swaminathan has received several prestigious awards, such as the Shiv Chatrapati Award and Pune Gaurav Puruskar. 

 25 
Ritika Singh
(Actress)
Ritika Singh
2
Birthdate: December 16, 1994
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
 26 
Jhulan Goswami
(Indian Former Cricket Bowler)
Jhulan Goswami
0
Birthdate: November 25, 1983
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chakdaha, West Bengal, India
 27 
Sakshi Malik
(Wrestler)
Sakshi Malik
0
Birthdate: September 3, 1992
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Rohtak district, Haryana, India
 28 
Harmanpreet Kaur
(All-rounder Indian Cricketer)
Harmanpreet Kaur
0
Birthdate: March 8, 1989
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Moga, Punjab, India
 29 
Ritu Phogat
(Indian Mixed Martial Artist)
Ritu Phogat
0
Birthdate: May 2, 1994
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Balali, Haryana, India
 30 
Chandro Tomar
(Sport shooter)
Chandro Tomar
3
Birthdate: January 10, 1932
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: April 30, 2021
 31 
Ashwini Ponnappa
(Indian Badminton Player Known for Her Successful Partnership with Jwala Gutta)
Ashwini Ponnappa
8
Birthdate: September 18, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Known for her match-winning partnership with Jwala Gutta, Indian badminton player Ashwini Ponnappa was born to a hockey player father but chose badminton over hockey. A 2-time Commonwealth Games and a 4-time South Asian Games champion, she is also a former World Championship bronze winner.

 32 
Prakashi Tomar
(Sport shooter)
Prakashi Tomar
3
Birthdate: January 1, 1937
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
 33 
Anju Bobby George
(Athletics competitor)
Anju Bobby George
0
Birthdate: April 19, 1977
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Cheeranchira, Kerala, India

Former Indian athlete Anju Bobby George created history when she became the only Indian to win a World Championship medal in athletics. She excelled in long jump, high jump, relay, and hurdles. The two-time Olympian and Padma Shri winner was born with a single kidney, which she found out in 2001.

 34 
Manu Bhaker
(Sport shooter)
Manu Bhaker
4
Birthdate: February 18, 2002
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Jhajjar, Haryana, India
 35 
Priyanka Phogat
(Wrestler)
Priyanka Phogat
0
Birthdate: May 12, 1993
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Balali, Haryana, India
 36 
Chitrashi Rawat
(Hockey player)
Chitrashi Rawat
6
Birthdate: November 29, 1989
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Raipur, Uttarakhand, India

Chitrashi Rawat is an Indian model, actress, and field hockey player. She is best known for her portrayal of Komal Chautala in the 2007 sports film Chak De! India. In 2008, she received the Star Screen Award for Best Actress In A Supporting Role. She then went on to play important roles in popular films like Fashion and Luck.

 37 
C. A. Bhavani Devi
(Fencer)
C. A. Bhavani Devi
2
Birthdate: August 27, 1993
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
 38 
Seema Tomar
(Sport shooter)
Seema Tomar
2
Birthdate: July 3, 1982
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Johri, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, India
 39 
Manasi Girishchandra Joshi
(Indian Para-Badminton Player Who Became a Para-Badminton World Champion)
Manasi Girishchandra Joshi
4
Birthdate: June 11, 1989
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rajkot, India

Initially a software engineer, Indian para-badminton player Manasi Girishchandra Joshi lost one of her legs in a road accident. A BWF Para-Badminton World Championship gold medalist, she is a product of badminton ace Pullela Gopichand’s academy. She became the first Indian athlete to make it to the cover of TIME magazine.

 40 
Santhi Soundarajan
(middle-distance runner)
Santhi Soundarajan
2
Birthdate: April 17, 1981
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pudukkottai district

Santhi Soundarajan grew up amid extreme poverty in a remote Tamil Nadu village in India. The daughter of brick-kiln laborers, she eventually stepped into track and field. In spite of winning a silver medal at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, she was disqualified for failing a sex test.

 41 
Naina Jaiswal
(Table tennis player)
Naina Jaiswal
2
Birthdate: March 22, 2000
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hyderabad
 42 
Nikhat Zareen
(Boxer)
Nikhat Zareen
1
Birthdate: June 14, 1996
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Nizamabad district, Andhra Pradesh, India

Born in Telangana in India, Nikhat Zareen is a boxing prodigy who has already won an Asian Championship medal before the age of 25, in spite of facing gender stereotypes. She is also an AIBA Junior World Champion and has already bagged endorsement deals with brands such as Adidas.

 43 
Gayathri Gopichand
(Indian Badminton Player and the Daughter of Pullela Gopichand)
Gayathri Gopichand
1
Birthdate: March 4, 2003
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Unknown

The daughter of Indian badminton legend Pullela Gopichand and his former badminton national champion wife, P. V. V. Lakshmi, Gayatri Gopichand has been a South Asian Games team champion. She also became the first female doubles player to enter the All-England Open semi-finals. She also has a Commonwealth Games silver in her kitty.

 44 
Heena Sidhu
(Sport shooter)
Heena Sidhu
2
Birthdate: August 29, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Ludhiana, Punjab, India
 45 
Ankita Raina
(Tennis player)
Ankita Raina
2
Birthdate: January 11, 1993
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Indian tennis player Ankita Raina is mostly known for her ITF Circuit wins and her speed. She also has two South Asian Games gold medals and an Asian Games bronze medal in her kitty. She is also the fifth female Indian player to achieve a top 200 WTA singles ranking.

 46 
Anjali Bhagwat
(Indian Sport Shooter and Multiple Gold Medalist at the Commonwealth Games)
Anjali Bhagwat
2
Birthdate: December 5, 1969
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Mumbai, Maharashtra, INdia

Anjali Bhagwat is an Indian sport shooter who won four gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. A former world number one in 10-meter air rifle, Bhagwat has participated in three successive Olympics. In the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, she became the first Indian female shooter to win a silver and gold medal in the Air Rifle and Sports-3P events respectively.

 47 
Vaishali Rameshbabu
(Chess player)
Vaishali Rameshbabu
2
Birthdate: June 21, 2001
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Vaishali Rameshbabu is an Indian chess player who achieved the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title in 2018. She first achieved recognition after winning the Girls' World Youth Chess Championship for Under-12s and Under-14s. Vaishali Rameshbabu is also known as the older sister of chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa.

 48 
Rani Rampal
(Field hockey player)
Rani Rampal
2
Birthdate: December 4, 1994
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Shahabad Markanda, Haryana, India

Born to a cart-puller in Haryana, Rani Rampal became the youngest player of the Indian squad to have ever participated in the Hockey World Cup. Later, she led the team as its captain and scored an Asia Cup victory after 13 years. The Padma Shri awardee has also coached for SAI.

 49 
Majiziya Bhanu
(Indian Power Lifter)
Majiziya Bhanu
2
Birthdate: December 1, 1994
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Malabar, Kerala, India
 50 
Ameeta Singh
(Indian Politician and Former Badminton Champion)
Ameeta Singh
4
Birthdate: October 4, 1962
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

The president of the Delhi Capital Badminton Association, Ameeta Singh is a former national badminton champion player who later stepped into politics. An MP from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, she represented the INC before joining the BJP. She is also the former wife of murdered badminton ace Syed Modi.