10 Inspiring Indian Sportswomen: International Women's Day Special

Despite facing numerous challenges, women in India continue to persevere and overcome obstacles every day. In a country where the birth of a girl child is viewed with sadness, achieving one's goals as a woman can often feel like swimming against the current. However, there are many strong and determined women who have proven that anything is possible with the right mindset and willpower. Sports have provided a platform for these women to showcase their talents and inspire others. As we celebrate International Women's Day 2024, we honour 10 Indian sportswomen who serve as shining examples of courage, determination, and inspiration for all of us to change the world.

10 Indian Sportswomen Who Will Inspire You to Change The World

#1 PT Usha: Athletics

The queen of Indian track and field, PT Usha has inspired generations of Indian women to take up the sport. Born in the village of Kuttali in Kerala, PT Usha studied in nearby Payyoli – which later gave rise to her nickname 'The Payyoli Express' – and her natural talent was discovered when she was nine.

She was the first Indian woman to qualify for the finals of a track and field game in the Olympics. If it was not for a false start, she could have the bronze in the 400-meter hurdles in the 1984 Olympic games. PT Usha finished her career with 23 medals in all, 14 of which were gold.

Read PT USha's full story here.

Also Read: Aprilia Manganang: A female player who turned out to be a man

#2 Bachendri Pal: Mountaineer

Bachendri Pal is one of the unknown Indian sportswomen who made the whole nation proud. She was the first Indian woman to climb the mount Everest in the year 1984. She is widely recognized for her pioneering role in planning, organising & leading pathbreaking expeditions for women.

Bachendri Pal now works as the Director of the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF). She was awarded with the third highest civilian award Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2019. Her spirit to conquer anything impossible is an inspiring story to know.

Read her full story here.

#3 Jhulan Goswami- Cricket

Jhulan's outstanding performance in cricket has left a lasting impression in a country where male cricketers are more predominant. She is renowned for being one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in women's cricket, and she has broken several records. 

Her excellence was acknowledged when she was bestowed with the ICC Women's Player of the Year award in 2007, the Arjuna Award in 2010, and the Padma Shri Award in 2012. Jhulan is known for being the first female cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets, and she still holds the record for the highest wicket-taker in women's ODI cricket, with 255 ODI wickets.

View her full records at- https://www.bcci.tv/players/562/jhulan-goswami

#4 Sania Mirza: Tennis

Sania Mirza is a trailblazing Indian athlete who has inspired countless women to pursue tennis. Her unwavering motivation and off-court charisma have made her a role model for women throughout India. Despite facing significant societal backlash early in her career, Sania persisted and went on to become a six-time Grand Slam champion, world No. 1 in doubles, and three-time Olympian. Additionally, she holds the distinction of being the first Indian woman to win a WTA title. Sania's remarkable accomplishments have paved the way for unprecedented growth in Indian tennis.

Mirza came out of her retirement in 2020 and won the doubles title at the 2020 Hobart International and then led India to their first-ever Fed Cup playoffs. She finally called it a day after the Dubai Championships in February 2023.

Read her full story here.

#5 Hima Das: Track and Field

Nicknamed "Dhing Express", Hima Das is one of India's most inspiring track and field athletes. Coming from a family of farmers, Hima showed the world that nothing is impossible. At an early, she used to play football with the boys in her village. But, later found her path in sprinting. Hima is the first Indian sprinter to win a gold medal at an international track event. 

In her short career, she has made many national records. She has already won three Asian Games medals, two of them being Gold. Hima was awarded with Arjuna Award in 2018. She became India's fastest-ever female over the 400m distance when she clocked 50.79 seconds during her silver medal in the 2018 Asian Games.

#6 Saina Nehwal: Badminton

Saina was the first Indian female badminton player to win an Olympic medal. Her story to the glory is very inspiring. At her birth, Saina's grandmother was not very happy with the birth of a girl child. However, it was her father and her winning spirit that made her the first and still the only Indian female badminton player to rank no.1 in the world on 2 April 2015. She is also the first Indian to win gold medals in two Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2018.

Along with that, Saina was the first Indian badminton player to have won an Olympic medal when she won the bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics. She was also the first Indian to win a Super Series title.

Saina's life story was seen in a Hindi movie called "Saina" featuring Parineeti Chopra in and as Sania.

#7 Marry Kom: Boxing

Mary Kom, an exceptional athlete from an impoverished area of India, took up boxing after convincing a local coach to train her. She has achieved an incredible feat of winning medals at all eight AIBA World Boxing Championships, reaching the pinnacle of her career as the world No.1 in the AIBA world rankings for flyweight. Her bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games marked India's first-ever Olympic medal in women's boxing.

Mary Kom has also been the first Indian woman to secure a gold medal at both the Asian and Commonwealth Games, as well as a five-time Asian champion. She is a true trailblazer, balancing her fighting career with motherhood and running a sports club in her hometown of Manipur. Her incredible achievements have led to her appointment as a member of the Indian Upper House of Parliament.

#8 Dutee Chand: Track and field

Dutee Chand is an inspiration for Indian athletics, having represented her country twice at the Olympics and holding the national record for the 100m event. She broke barriers by becoming the first openly gay athlete from India and the first Indian to win gold in a 100m event at a global meet.

Despite facing significant hardships in her life, including the hyperandrogenism controversy and coming out gay in a conservative society, Dutee has shown remarkable resilience and determination. Her achievements include winning two silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and a gold medal at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Napoli. She was only the fifth Indian to participate in the women's 100 meters at the Olympics when she qualified for the 2016 Rio Games.

"There is nothing to fear about being in love."

Dutee on being in a same-sex relationship and being open about it.

#9 Geeta Phogat- Wrestling

Geeta Phogat's incredible achievements have inspired countless female athletes in India to pursue their dreams and excel in the sport of wrestling. She made history at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold, and continued to break barriers by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to qualify for the Olympics in 2012.

Geeta's remarkable journey has been immortalized in the Hindi movie "Dangal", serving as a testament to what can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

#10 Bala Devi- Football

Women's football in India might not be as popular as other sports, but that didn't stop Bala Devi from making a name for herself and Indian women's football on the global stage. Bala Devi's exceptional record of scoring 52 goals in just 64 international games is a testament to her determination and skill.

In 2020, she made history by becoming the first Indian female football player to sign a professional contract with an overseas football club, Rangers FC in Scotland. She even became the first Indian female footballer to score in a European professional football league. Bala's achievements serve as an inspiration for aspiring female football players in India and South Asia.

This was tough to list out only 10 inspiring Indian sportswomen from hundreds of them. However, we would love to hear from you about who is your favorite female athlete in India. Let us know in the comment box.

Happy International Women's Day to everyone.

Note: The article was written in 2021 and then got updated with time by the author with some current data, without changing any names of athletes on this list.