The Indian athletes were conferred with the National Sports Awards by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Tuesday. The Badminton duo Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy received the Khel Ratna Award while Cricketer Mohammed Shami collected the coveted Arjuna Award. 

Chirag and Satwik won their maiden Asian Games gold in 2023, first time for India in badminton. The duo also clinched the Asian Championships title and the Indonesia Open Super 1000 title.

Chirag and Satwik became the world No.1 last year. They would be aiming for an Olympic medal in Paris. "Yes, that is our next goal (to win an Olympic medal). We hope to do the country proud again," said Chirag.

Also Read: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy shatters a decade-long standing Guinness World Record for fastest badminton shot

26 athletes and para-athletes were conferred the Arjuna Awards. The newly-crowned chess Grandmaster R. Vaishali, the elder sister of R. Praggnanandhaa was honoured for becoming the third woman from the country after Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika to turn GM.

19-year-old Esha Singh is competing in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta. She qualified for the Paris Olympics after winning the individual and team gold in 10m air pistol events on Monday.

Wrestler Antim Panghal, a former junior world champion and bronze-winner at the senior event last year, boxer Mohammad Hussamuddin (bronze-winner at last year's world championship), and para archer Sheetal Devi were also conferred with the Arjuna Award.

Devi won two gold medals in the Hangzhou Asian Games. She is the first international para archer without upper limbs due to a rare condition called Phocomelia.

Among the notable Dronacharya awardees, this year is chess coach RB Ramesh, who has groomed Praggnanandhaa.

Also Read: Arjuna Award winner in cricket since 2013

List of National Sports Award winners:

Khel Ratna Award for 2023:

Chirag Shetty and Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy (badminton).

Arjuna Awards for 2023:

1. Ojas Pravin Deotale (archery)

2. Aditi Gopichand Swami (archery)

3. Murali Sreeshankar (athletics)

4. Parul Chaudhary (athletics)

5. Mohammed Hussamuddin (boxing)

6. R Vaishali (chess)

7. Mohammed Shami (cricket)

8. Anush Agarwalla (equestrian)

9. Divyakriti Singh (equestrian dressage)

10. Diksha Dagar (golf)

11. Krishan Bahadur Pathak (hockey)

12. Sushila Chanu (hockey)

13. Pawan Kumar (kabaddi)

14. Ritu Negi (kabaddi)

15. Nasreen (kho-kho)

16. Pinki (lawn bowls)

17. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar (shooting)

18. Esha Singh (shooting)

19. Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (squash)

20. Ayhika Mukherjee (table tennis)

21. Sunil Kumar (wrestling)

22. Antim Panghal (wrestling)

23. Naorem Roshibina Devi (wushu)

24. Sheetal Devi (para archery)

25. Illuri Ajay Kumar Reddy (blind cricket)

26. Prachi Yadav (para canoeing)

#WATCH | Delhi: Mohammed Shami received the Arjuna Award from President Droupadi Murmu at the National Sports Awards. pic.twitter.com/znIqdjf0qS

— ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2024

Dronacharya Award (Regular Category) for outstanding coaches:

1. Lalit Kumar (wrestling)

2. RB Ramesh (chess)

3. Mahaveer Prasad Saini (para athletics)

4. Shivendra Singh (hockey)

5. Ganesh Prabhakar Devrukhkar (mallakhamb)

6. Dronacharya Award (Lifetime Category) for outstanding coaches:

7. Jaskirat Singh Grewal (golf)

8. Bhaskaran E (kabaddi)

9. Jayanta Kumar Pushilal (table tennis)

Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement:

1. Manjusha Kanwar (badminton)

2. Vineet Kumar Sharma (hockey)

3. Kavitha Selvaraj (kabaddi)

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2023:

1. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (overall winner university)

2. Lovely Professional University, Punjab (1st runner-up)

3. Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (2nd runner-up)

In a country where sports is often dominated by men, some Olympic stars chose to challenge the ordinary and pave a path for Indian sports women. Indian sport has seen a massive rise in the number of it's female athletes shining at the world stage since the turn of the millennium.

In this article, we will take a look at those Indian female Olympians who made Olympic history.

Also Read: Most medals by an Indian in a single Olympics

Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

1. Karnam Malleswari

Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari created history and became the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Olympics. During the Sydney 2000 Games, Karnam Malleswari lifted 110kg in the snatch and 130kg in the clean and jerk categories for a total of 240kg and finished the competition with a bronze medal. She is also the first Indian weightlifter (male or female) to win an Olympic medal.

2. Saina Nehwal

Former world No.1 Saina Nehwal put Indian badminton on the global map when she finished with a bronze medal in the women’s singles at the London 2012 Olympics.

Saina Nehwal clinched the medal after her opponent Wang Xin of the People's Republic of China retired due to injury during the bronze medal playoff match. After this, Saina became the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal and has represented the country in three Summer Games (Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016).

3. Mary Kom

Star boxer Mary Kom etched her name in Indian sports’ history books by clinching a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics. The Manipuri boxer beat Poland’s Karolina Michalczuk and Tunisia’s Maroua Rahali in the first two rounds but lost her semi-final bout to Great Britain's Nicola Adams, settling for the bronze medal.

It was the first Olympic medal in boxing by an Indian woman and only the second after Vijender Singh’s bronze at Beijing 2008. Women’s boxing made its Olympic debut at London 2012.

4. PV Sindhu

PV Sindhu built on what Saina Newhal had achieved at London 2012 and took Indian badminton a step further by reaching the women’s singles final at the Rio 2016 Games.

PV Sindhu lost the final to Spain’s Carolina Marin and finished with a silver medal after a hard-fought 83-minute title battle. Despite being the runner-up, PV Sindhu created history by becoming India's youngest individual Olympic medallist, a record which has since been surpassed. She also became the first Indian woman to bag an Olympic silver medal.

5. Sakshi Malik

Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik won a bronze medal in the women’s 58kg category at Rio 2016 to become the first Indian woman to win a medal in wrestling at the Olympics.

After notching up wins in the earlier rounds, Sakshi Malik lost to Valeria Koblova of Russia in the quarter-finals. However, with Koblova making the final, Sakshi Malik entered the repechage round and came home with the bronze medal following an 8–5 victory over Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan. Sakshi’s win at Rio was a memorable one as she turned the bout on its head despite trailing 5-0 at one stage.

6. Mirabai Chanu

After a disappointing outing at Rio 2016, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, with a total lift of 202kg, won the silver medal in the 49kg category at Tokyo 2020. With the feat, Mirabai Chanu of Manipur became the first Indian weightlifter to bag a silver at the Olympics.

Mirabai Chanu also became the second Indian weightlifter, after Karnam Malleswari, to win a medal at the Summer Games as well as the second Indian woman, after PV Sindhu, to win a silver medal at the Olympics.

7. Lovlina Borgohain

Assamese boxer Lovlina Borgohain emulated the legendary Mary Kom by clinching a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020. Lovlina Borgohain defeated Germany’s Nadine Apetz in the round of 16 and outpunched Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-chin in the quarter-finals to secure herself a bronze medal.

However, Turkish world No. 1 Busenaz Surmeneli proved too strong for her in the semi-finals as the Indian finished with a bronze medal.

8. Sania Mirza

Inspired by stalwart Serena Williams, who returned to the tennis circuit after having a baby, Sania Mirza has begun to feel her way back into the sport as well. The Indian tennis ace gave birth to a boy late in 2018 and was on maternal duty ever since. But 2020 saw Sania Mirza return to the court.

Building form with every passing match, Sania Mirza made a fourth Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020, where she made a first-round exit in the women’s doubles alongside Ankita Raina. Sania retired in 2023 as easily the best women's tennis player to emerge from India.

9. Dipa Karmakar

Dipa Karmakar, the shining star in Indian gymnastics, has made Olympic history by becoming the first Indian female gymnast to compete in the Olympic Games. She is among the only five women who have been able to master the Produnova vault. Her awe-inspiring performances and fearless spirit have inspired young gymnasts to aim for the stars.

10. Manu Bhaker

Manu Bhaker won India's first medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol shooting event. She thus became India's first woman to win a medal in Olympic shooting. A day earlier, she had become the first Indian woman to qualify for an Olympic shooting final in 20 years.

Manu Bhaker scored 221.7 to finish third in the eight-woman final. Oh Ye Jin of the Republic of Korea clinched the gold medal with the new Olympic record of 243.2 and was followed by her compatriot Yeji Kim, who pipped Bhaker to enter the gold medal round and won the silver with the final score of 241.3.

The comparison between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli is one of the most discussed topics in the cricketing world. Although Virat made his debut much earlier in 2008, while Babar played his first international match in 2015, the debate about these two batting superstars across various formats continues to thrive. 

Both Kohli and Babar were U-19 stars. Kohli won the ODI World Cup in 2011, Champions Trophy in 2013 and T20 World Cup in 2024 with India, while Babar’s only international triumph is the Champions Trophy in 2017.

Here we take a look at the Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam stats comparison in ICC tournaments and see who has been a better batter in terms of numbers and stats. 

Also Read: Joe Root vs Sachin Tendulkar – Test Stats Compared: Can Root break Sachin's record

Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam: ICC ODI Events

ICC ODI World Cup

Kohli has played 37 ODI World Cup matches across four editions, scoring 1,795 runs at an average of 59.83 and a strike rate of 88.20, with five hundreds and 12 half-centuries. The former India captain has been dismissed without scoring only once in the ICC event. His best of 117 came off 113 balls against New Zealand in the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Looking at Babar's record in the ODI World Cup, he has played 17 matches and has scored 794 runs at an average of 52.93 and a strike rate of 85.74, with one hundred and seven fifties. He is yet to be dismissed for a duck in a World Cup match. Babar's only ton in the ODI World Cup came against New Zealand in Birmingham in 2019, when scored 101* off 127 balls.

ICC Champions Trophy

Looking at his stats in the Champions Trophy, Kohli has played 17 innings and has scored 747 runs at an average of 74.07 and a strike rate of 89.04, with six half-centuries and one century to his name. He has been dismissed without scoring on one occasion.

Babar has featured two Champions Trophies. In seven matches so far, he has scored 220 runs at an average of 44.00 and a strike rate of 74.08, with just one fifty. In the 2017 edition that Pakistan won, Babar contributed 133 runs in five innings (two not outs) at an average of 44.33 and a strike rate of 74.71. Again, Kohli has a better average and strike rate than Babar in the Champions Trophy.

Also Read: Indian Cricketers with Most ICC Titles

Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam: ICC T20I Events

ICC T20 World Cup

Virat is the all times highest run scorer in the history of the T20 World Cup. In 33 matches, Virat has scored 1292 runs at a strike rate 128.8 of and an average of 58.7. Kohli has also scored 15 half-centuries with a top score of 89 not out to his name.

Babar, on the other hand, has played only 3 editions of the T20 World Cup. In 2021, he was the top run-scorer after he made 303 runs from 6 games at an average of 60.60. In 17 T20 World Cup matches, Babar has scored 549 runs at an average of 36.6.

The T20I circuit in 2025 has already seen an explosion of sixes from both men and women. In a fast-paced format like this, only players with exceptional hitting abilities thrive.

From established names to emerging talents, here comes the list of most sixes in T20 Internationals in 2025 so far. See who has consistently cleared the ropes, smashing the ball out of the field of play for a six!

Most sixes in T20 Internationals in 2025 so far (Men's)

It is impressive to see players from nations not widely considered as cricketing powerhouses making their way up in the six-hitting charts. For instance, Karanbir Singh of Austria is leading the list with 40 sixes in 2025 so far.

Other players like Jermaine Baker and Yuvraj Samra are also ahead of the list from the worldwide cricket giants. Then comes the emerging star of India, Abhishek Sharma, who seals the 4th place with 24 sixes in just 5 innings and has the potential to move further on top.

Read Also: Most Sixes in International Cricket History | Top 25 Batters

Here's the complete list:

Most sixes in T20 Internationals in 2025 so far (Women's)

The West Indies power-hitter Deandra Dottin is currently leading the charts with 12 sixes in only 3 innings in WT20Is. This is not a surprise coming from the player with the record of fastest century in T20Is.

Read Also: Top 10 fastest centuries in Women's T20Is

Check out who else is up in the race for most sixes in T20 internationals in 2025.

Competing on the grandest stage of them all, the Olympic Games, is an aspiration for athletes worldwide. Earning a single medal by getting ahead of the best around the world is a massive deal. But not just one win, imagine multiple medals in a single edition of Olympics? That's an extraordinary achievement.

For a nation like India, despite centuries of sporting heritage, this monumental feat has only been achieved by two athletes. 

Get ready to delve into the stats for most medals by an Indian in a single Olympics.

Read Also: Olympic Facts: Most Consecutive Olympic Gold Medals

Norman Pritchard: India's first Olympic medalist and multi-medal pioneer

• Sport: Athletics
• Olympic Edition: 1900 Paris Olympics
• Medals Won: 2
• Event: Men's 200m sprint, Men's 200m hurdles

Hailing from Kolkata, West Bengal, Norman Pritchard was a British-Indian athlete who marked India's debut in the Olympic Games with huge success. He not only holds the record of being the first-ever Olympic medalist from India, but also one of the only 2 athletes to win multiple medals in a single Olympics.

At the 1900 Paris Olympics, Pritchard secured two silver medals in athletics (Men's 200m and Men's 200m hurdles), setting the bar high and inspiring the future generations. His multi-medal success was the only standing record for over a century.

Read Also: Olympic Facts: From Youngest to Oldest to most successful medalists and more

Manu Bhaker: A modern-day multi medallist, 124 years later

• Sport: Shooting
• Olympic Edition: 2024 Paris Olympics
• Medals Won: 2
• Event: Women's 10m air pistol, Mixed 10m air pistol team

More than a century after Pritchard's historic record, 2024 Paris Olympics witnessed another extraordinary individual brilliance from an young Indian athlete. Manu Bhaker, a professional shooter from Haryana, stunned everyone with her multi-medal feat.

Bhaker became the second Indian athlete to win multiple medals in a single Olympics with her 2 Bronze medals in shooting. She won the first one at an individual event (Women's 10m air pistol) and the second one alongside Sarabjot Singh in mixed 10m air pistol team.

Acknowledging the nuance regarding Pritchard's British roots and the ongoing debate about his nationality despite the IOC crediting India, Manu Bhaker is widely considered the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to win most medals in a single Olympics.

Cricket is a game of glorious highs, as well as, not-so-glorious lows at times! Besides the massive sixes, aerial catches, and other heroic moments, there's the other side of the game where a player walks back in the pavilion without scoring a single run.

You got it right, we are talking about the infamous "duck." So, get ready to discover the top 10 players with most ducks in ICC events.

Here's the complete list:

10. Mohammed Siraj (11 ducks) | India

Known for his fiery and aggressive bowling for India, Mohammed Siraj holds the 10th place for most ducks in ICC events, which clearly states how batting is not his forte. Siraj has a total of 11 ducks out of 51 innings.

Read Also: ICC Trophy winners list year-wise (2000-2025)

9. Virat Kohli (11 ducks) | India

Virat Kohli being here is perhaps the most astonishing name on the list. Apart from his exceptional batting records across all formats, and having scored 6451 runs in ICC events, he also has 11 ducks in 166 innings.

8. Khaled Ahmed (12 ducks) | Bangladesh

A right-arm medium fast bowler from Bangladesh, Khaled Ahmed, appears in the list for having 12 ducks in ICC events in the span of 2021 to 2024. His focus is primarily on bowling and he serves as a typical lower-order batsman.

7. Mominul Haque (12 ducks) | Bangladesh

Another Bangladeshi player with 12 ducks makes his way on the list. Mominul Haque, a left-handed batter and former captain of Bangladesh, holds the 7th position, despite delivering impressive ICC performances.

6. Keshav Maharaj (12 ducks) | South Africa

South Africa's leading orthodox spinner, Keshav Maharaj, who is known for his ability to surprise with the bat sometimes, also has 12 ducks in 65 innings. He is the only South African player in the list.

Read Also: Is 2025 the miraculous year in sports history?

5. Jonny Bairstow (12 ducks) | England

Jonny Bairstow found himself walking back to the dugout without scoring a single run 12 times in an ICC event. His explosive strokeplay and skill-set is undeniably good, but it is the count for ducks that places him at no. 5 in here.

4. James Anderson (12 ducks) | England

England's legendary fast bowler, James Anderson, also has 12 ducks in ICC events, spanning from 2003 to 2024. For a player whose career has been defined by his unparalleled legacy, a few early dismissals do not really matter.

Read Also: 6 cricketers who announced their retirements since last month

3. Pat Cummins (13 ducks) | Australia

Australia's captain and one of the world's premier all-rounder, Pat Cummins, has been out for a duck 13 times in ICC events. He has been remarkable with the ball and also backed up the team as a handy lower-order batter.

However, the intense quality of bowling and pressure in ICC tournaments make the best ones falter.

2. Tim Southee (14 ducks) | New Zealand

Next up is New Zealand's swing master, who often showed a knack for hitting some powerful boundaries while batting down the order. That's right! Tim Southee has 14 ducks in ICC events, which is the second-most by any player.

Read Also: Most runs in an over in tests

1. Jasprit Bumrah (21 ducks) | India

As we come down to the final name on the list, we find the world's best bowler Jasprit Bumrah, with 21 ducks, holding the place tight. The one who so frequently dismisses opponents for a duck, and holds spectacular bowling records, tops this chart as well.

Bumrah has stunned fans every time he has come down to play. Be it scoring the most runs in a single over in tests or having the most ducks, this man will get you everything!