We bleed blue. Cricket runs in our veins as a country and there will be hardly anyone who wouldn’t know Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni. But did we all know Geeta Phogat before Dangal? Do we know who Mithali Raj is?
Women in our country are shattering the glass ceiling when it comes to sports. They have been frontrunners, representing India on an international level and we should definitely give them the credit for this incredible feat. Today, let’s salute Indian sportswomen who have made our country proud.
Note: This list goes beyond Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal.
1. Rani Rampal (Hockey)
She represented India at the age of 15 at the Hockey World Cup and is now a very important part of the Indian women’s hockey team. Rani has won hearts with her matchless performance at the Champion’s Challenge Tournament where she was the top goal scorer and the youngest player in the tournament.
2. Mithali Raj (Cricket)
Mithali Raj is the captain of our women’s cricket team. She is also the highest scorer in women’s International cricket and the only one to surpass the 6,000 run mark in ODIs.
3. Deepika Pallikal (Squash)
Deepika totally rocked the Women’s International Squash Players Association as she won three titles in the tournament. Not just that, but she was also the first Indian who made it to the top 10 in the PSA Women’s rankings. Way to go, girl!
4. Geeta Phogat (Wrestling)
We thank Dangal for making Geeta Phogat a household name. Geeta has broken all records not just in the category for women but even for men, as she was the first wrestler from India to have won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2010.
5. Sakshi Malik (Wrestling)
She’s the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics during the 2016 Olympics. The 25-year-old has been training since she was 12 and she is a role model for women athletes in the country, especially in Haryana.
6. PV Sindhu (Badminton)
Currently ranked number 3 worldwide, this sport-star from Hyderabad is fearless on the court. Sindhu has also won a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Rio and was the first woman in the history of this country to do so.
7. Deepika Kumari (Archery)
Deepika Kumari is currently ranked fifth in the world, but she has been number one on the list. The 24-year-old has won five gold medals and five silvers. She has also been honoured with Padma Shri and the Arjuna Award.
8. Dipa Karmakar (Gymnastics)
Dipa Karmakar was born with a flat foot, but that didn’t stop the Indian gymnast from making her mark. She stole the spotlight when won won the fourth-place at the Rio Olympics 2016. After a hiatus of two years to recover from an injury, she became the first Indian to win a gold medal Gymnastics World Challenge Cup in July this year and proved that she’s a woman of steel!
9. Tania Sachdev (Chess)
Tania Sachdev is one of the prominent Indian names in the field of chess. She has the titles of Women Grandmaster and International master to her name. Playing since the age of 6, Tanya is currently working as a chess presenter and commentator apart from competing in the sport.
10. Mary Kom
Mary Kom is a five-time World Amateur boxing champion and the only female to win a medal in each of the six world championships and the first Indian woman boxer to clinch a gold medal in the Asian Games in 2014. Mary has received the honour of Padma Bhushan.
Hands down, all these women are exceptional and deserve a standing ovation!
Image Courtesy: Instagram, Flickr, Wikimedia Commons
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