40+ Top Female Athletes in India Who Are Breaking Boundaries

Mary Kom, the same boxer who inspired the 2014 hit eponymous movie, is one of India’s biggest boxing names and influential athletes. Through sheer hard work and determination, overcoming multiple biases and discrimination, Mary Kom went on to box her way to the top.

The five-time World Amateur Boxing Champion is an inspiration. It’s been conferred with prestigious awards like Padma Shri, Arjuna Award for boxing, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, and many more.

Sania Nehwal became the face of Indian badminton when she became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal at the age of 22. Through her illustrious career, the badminton player has amassed over 24 international titles.

In 2015, she became the number one player in the world, becoming the first Indian badminton player and the second Indian overall to achieve this feat. Nehwal’s most significant achievement, apart from all the medals and trophies, was being a nexus in increasing the popularity of the sport in India.

Mithali Raj managed to break barriers and become a known name worldwide in the male-dominated sport of cricket. The female cricket player is the test and ODI captain of the Women’s National Cricket Team and one of the best female players on the field.

Among Raj’s many accomplishments is becoming the first player to score seven consecutive half-centuries, aka the 50s, in ODIs. She’s also the only female cricketer to have made more than 7,000 runs in women’s ODI matches.

PV Sindhu is another female Indian badminton player who has brought admiration to the nation by becoming a master in her game. The athlete started her sports journey at a very young age and had been dominating the international ranking since she was only 17.

In the past decade, Sindhu has won the Olympics, becoming the only Indian female player to have two medals in the prestigious tournament. She’s also the only Indian player to have become the badminton world champion, after her win in 2019.

There’s not a child or adult in India who doesn’t know the name Sania Mirza and her association with lawn tennis. Mirza’s career began at the young age of 16, and over her long and excelling career, she managed to put India on the map for female players in the field.

Mirza dominated the lawn tennis scene most of her career, holding the number-one spot in doubles for 91 straight weeks! Yes, you read that right. The sports icon has won six major titles, three in singles and three in doubles.

One of India’s first famous female cricket players, Jhulan Goswami, is one of the fastest female bowlers of all time and has set many records before retiring in 2022.

The Indian athlete has played in 204 ODI matches in her long and illustrious career, even holding the title for taking the most wickets in Women’s ODI matches. She held the position of the captain of the cricket squad and is an inspiration to all the women who want to break through and stake their claim in the world of cricket.

PT Usha, or the Queen of Indian Track Field as she’s fondly known, was one of the earliest Indian female athletes to gain recognition globally. The runner represented India on the international stage during the 1980 Moscow Olympics. After that, there was no stopping this lady!

PT Usha went on to win medals at the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games as well as the 1985 Jakarta Asian Championships. She’s an inspiration to young women in India, and worldwide, for her incredible feat.

This female weightlifter became the first ever Indian female athlete to win a bronze medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the weightlifting category. For her incredible feat, she’s been conferred the nickname The Iron Lady of India and became a common name in households around the country.

Over the years, Malleshwari has been awarded some of the highest sports awards in the country, like the Arjuna Award and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

Gymnast Dipa Karmakar is one of the first Indian gymnasts to ever represent and compete on behalf of the nation in the Olympics. Even though she lost by just 0.15 points in the 2016 Rio Olympics, her performance made her the face of the Indian gymnasium.

Karmakar performed the tough Pronova vault for her final performance, becoming one of the only five female gymnasts to have completed it. Her excellence extends to pole vaults, balancing beans, and uneven bars.

Born in 1977 in Kerala, Anju Bobby George is a female athlete who has represented India and won gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the 2002 and 2006 Asian Games, and the 2005 Asian Championships.

The retired athlete is an expert in long and triple jumps, creating history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win a long jump bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. She was also awarded the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award for her performance as an athlete.

Indian freestyle wrestler Sakshi Malik was born in Haryana and got into the sport, all thanks to her grandfather, who was also a wrestler. At 12, the young girl started coaching to hone her skills.

Malik created history by becoming the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics when she clinched bronze in the 58 kg category at the 2016 games in Rio. She’s also secured multiple medals in Commonwealth Games and Asian Championships.

Nicknamed Dhing Express, sprinter Hims Das became the first Indian athlete to secure gold in a track event when she won the IAAF World U20 Championships.

The 22-year-old Assam resident holds the national record for 400 meters at 50.79 seconds that she clocked in at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. One of five children to a farmer, Das’ skills as a sprinter, were visible from a young age, and she’s proven herself repeatedly.

Another female sprinter who’s made the country proud time and again is Dutee Chand. The Odisha resident became the first Indian to bag a gold medal in a 100m race in an international competition.

Her records don’t end here; she also qualified for the 100m Olympic event 36 years after PT Usha did it. Chand also became the brand ambassador for the sportswear brand Puma in 2019, holding the position for two years.

This story is about how a woman defied the odds against her to rise (actually, to swim) to prominence to make a mark on an international level. Indian swimmer Bula Chowdhary was born in poverty but was an exceptional swimmer from the very beginning.

Her skills and perseverance led her to capture ranks on the national and international level, even becoming the first woman to swim across sea channels off five continents. She won six gold medals in the South Asian Federation Games when she was just 21 years old.

Professional archer Deepika Kumar currently ranks World No 2 in the game and is regarded as the best Indian archer. Kumari became a youth sports icon when she bagged two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

Since then, Kumari has brought awards to the nation by securing medals at the Asian Games, the World Championship, and the World Cup! Kumari is married to fellow archer Atanu Das and is a source of inspiration to aspiring archers worldwide.

Geeta Phogat is a freestyle Indian female wrestler who won the country’s first-ever gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in wrestling.

This Phogat sister is also probably the most famous of all the six Phogat sisters, as she was the first Indian female wrestler to qualify for the Olympic Summer Games. Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh portrayed Geeta Phogat in the 2016 hit movie Dangal, which was based on the Phogat sisters.

The younger Phogat sister is equally famous as her elder sister. Currently 33, Babita cooked up a storm during her career, winning medals in Commonwealth Games in 2010, 2014, and 2018. She also bagged a bronze in the 2012 World Wrestling Championships.

Geeta, Babita, and their other sisters were trained by their father, retired wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat. Actress Sanya Malhotra portrayed her in the movie Dangal.

This Phogat sister was Geeta and Babita’s cousin, but she also got training under Mahavir Singh Phogat, her uncle. The female wrestler has set new records for women in the world of wrestling, becoming the only Indian woman to win multiple medals at the World Wrestling Championships.

Vinesh became the first Indian athlete nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award in 2019. In 2022, Vinesh won a bronze medal at the 53kg event at the World Wrestling Championships.

Two times India Women’s Chess Champion Tania Sachdev is an Indian chess player who holds the title of Woman Grandmaster and International Master. The all-around chess champ, she’s also a presenter and commentator for the strategic game.

Sachdev has also represented the country in the Commonwealth Games. During the 2013 Chennai World Championship Match between Vishwanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen, she was a part of the commentary team.

Indian field hockey player Rani Rampal was the youngest player, at the age of 15, in the national team representing India at the 2010 World Cup. Even though she’s now just 28, the inspiring athlete has played in 212 international matches and scored 134 goals.

Rampal is currently the captain of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team and was honored with the distinguished Padma Shri in 2020. She plays in the forward position on the team.

Squash player, Dipika Pallikal is one of the Indian female athletes who’s quietly and slowly breaking and setting records in a sport that has yet to gain limelight in India.

Pallikal started playing squash professionally in 2006 and six years into her career was amongst the top ten in the World Cup. She’s also the female squash player to have been conferred the Arjuna Award, India’s second-highest sports award.

The 14-time national champion Jwala Gutta is a formidable badminton player. The Indian female athlete has won numerous national medals, including in the Commonwealth Games, World Championships, South Asian Games, and many more.

Gutta has also been vocal about many social issues and has been listed as one of the most inspiring female sportswomen. She peaked at number six along with her partner Diju, becoming the first set of partners to get into the top 10 in the country.

Mirabai Chanu made the nation proud when, at the Commonwealth Games 2022, she lifted a total of 201 kgs and won a gold medal and the country’s third medal overall in the games.

Even though that feat propelled her into nationwide fame, Chanu already had an Olympic medal and several World Championship medals under her belt. The Khel Ratna recipient, the highest sports award of India, is also a world record holder in the Clean and Jerk 49 kg category.

Table tennis player Manika Batra currently ranks as the top female player of the sport in the country. Batra has participated in many international events, securing multiple medals in the 2016 South Asian Games and 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Apart from receiving the highest sports honor in India, Batra has received media attention and has been featured on the cover of Femina and in the magazine Vogue. This athlete has made waves all over!

This lady has chosen a sport that not many dare to venture into. Bhavani Devi is an Indian saber fencer, the first to ever qualify for the Olympics after she got into the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The eight-time national champion started fencing in school when she was 11 and appeared in her first international tournament in Turkey at 14.

Kerala-born P.U.Chitra is a middle-distance runner representing the country in multiple international tournaments. In the 2019 Asian Athletic Championships, the runner won a gold medal.

Apart from this, she secured a bronze in Asian Games, a gold in South Asian Games, and one in Martial Arts Games. Chitra’s story is of a girl who dares to run… right out of the gates of poverty onto the international circuit.

If you’ve ever dreamt of standing at the top of the world, then Chhanda Gayen’s story is the one that’s bound to inspire you. The Indian mountaineer defied all odds to become the first and fastest Indian climber to summit two eight-thousanders peaks – Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse.

That’s not all; she did it in one go! Moving from Everest to Mount Lhotse in just a measly 22 hours.

Pragnya Mohan is a triple threat in the world of sports – meaning that she’s a triathlon champion and the first true one from the country. Mohan is not only India’s highest-ranked triathlete in the world but also led India’s debut team for the sport at the Commonwealth Games.

This inspirational lady is also a chartered accountant, a paragliding pilot, and a popular speaker on the educational circuit, aiming to get her sports a more widespread reach.

Indian basketball is not something you hear about enough, but Prashanti Singh has managed to stand out even in the limited coverage that the sport gets. The shooting guard in the national women’s basketball team, she’s represented India in all of the major sporting events, including the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.

She’s not the only one in her family to excel in the sport. She and four of her sisters have been instrumental in the basketball field and are collectively known as the Singh Sisters.

Nisha Millet’s introduction to swimming wasn’t the most normal one. Unlike most people who learn swimming for recreation, Millet learned it to overcome her fear of water. Not only did she overcome her fear, but she overachieved!

During the 1999 South Asian Games held in Kathmandu, Millet won several gold medals. She was also the only woman on the Indian swimming team for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

One of the first Indian female athletes to rise to prominence, Mary D’Souza Sequeira competed internationally in track and field and field hockey. Sequeira competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics in the women’s 100 and 200-meter races.

She also competed and won in the Asian games in 1951 and 1954. Sequeira was also a part of the country’s first field hockey team and even became the top scorer at times.

Malavath Purna didn’t play her way to the top. Instead, she climbed it – to Mount Everest – at 13 years and 11 months. The Indian mountaineer is the youngest Indian and the youngest female in the world to have ever achieved this feat.

Even though she’s just 22 years old, Purna has already climbed all seven sisters as of June 2022. One can only wait and see where this athlete will rise next!

Indian archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam entered the Limca Book of World Records at number four, so it’s no wonder she’s going into Indian history as a formidable and inspiring sportswoman.

The female athlete has won the Asian Archery Championships three times and is also an Arjuna Award recipient. Her experience isn’t limited to this, as she continuously sets new records for herself, bettering after each performance.

Indian football player Aditi Chauhan plays the position of goalkeeper for the Indian National Team and the club Lords FA. She’s the first woman from India to play competitively in England and was a part of the West Ham Ladies.

Chauhan was also a part of the Indian team she participated in and won the 2012 SAFF Women’s championship in Sri Lanka. This footballer is not only scoring goals but records too!

Athlete Reeth Abraham is a former Asian medalist in the long jump and 100 meters hurdles. In her 15-year career, the Bangalore-born lady also bagged the spot of a national champion in heptathlon.

Even at the elderly age of 60, Abraham remains active in playing and promoting sports. She regularly runs marathons and actively promotes the importance of fitness and a good lifestyle.

Ashwini Nachappa became a well-known name around the 1980s when she outran India’s best and most popular female runner P.T.Usha. Referred to as India’s FloJo, she’s represented India in three South Asian Federation Games, Asian Games, and World Championships.

Nachappa also has a Telugu biographical film Ashwini based on herself, in which she acted and received an award. She’s also a socially active worker and an education promoter through and through.

Female athlete Aditi Ashok hails from Bangalore and is one of the few accomplished golf players in the country. Ashok has represented India in two Olympics, the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics.

Ashok has toured in both Ladies European Tour and other such esteemed tours multiple times. In 2016, at age 18, Ashok also bagged the Rookie of the Year award at the Ladies European Tour.

Haryana-born Seema Punia is a discus thrower and a pretty good one. The female athlete bagged the first position in the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea. She’s competed in two Olympics – the 2020 Tokyo edition and the 2012 Lonn one.

She’s also participated in, and won, the Commonwealth Games. The inspiring woman is also married to a former discus thrower Ankush Punia.

Archer Dola Banerjee is a female Indian athlete who’s played the sport professionally for almost 20 years. She bagged a gold medal in the 2007 World Cup in Dubai.

She also represented the country in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. Her list of achievements includes becoming the first Indian woman to qualify for Olympics in the individual event during the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Delhi-born Tanvi Hans began her professional career at a football club in the UK, managing to play in various matches. She competed for Fulham LFC before giving up playing in England and moving back to India.

She broke barriers when she competed in The Amateur League in Bangalore, a competition mainly catering to men. She’s also actively involved in raising funds for underprivileged girls so that they can play and excel in the sport that Hans loves so much.

Athlete J.J. Shobha from Karnataka professionally competed in track and field. She even participated in the heptathlon in the Afro-Asian Games in 2003, winning the race.

Shobha proved to be a sportsperson with a lot of spirit when, during the 2004 Olympic Games, she got injured during the seven-discipline heptathlon. Despite her injury, she returned with an ankle strap and finished the event to the end, placing 11th.