4. Khushbir Kaur
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The fastest walking Indian girl belonged to one of the most impoverished of villages in Punjab and was unaware about the sport till she got into it. She was like any other girl till her father passed away owning to a cardiac arrest.
Her mother was forced to take up low-status jobs at houses of other people to keep the family running. But Khushbir decided she would not give up and her determination finally paid off when she won the 2008 Junior Nationals without even wearing shoes.
In 2014, she became the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in the 20km race walking event in Incheon. For her, it was a battle won.
She qualified for the Rio Olympics after a creditable performance in the IAAF Race Walking Challenge at Rio Maior in Portugal.
