Top Indian female athletes

Indian athletes are doing exceptionally well in international events. The female athletes are bringing the nation glory by excelling against all odds stacked in front of them. While some beat the favorites in their own den, others proved that they can not only challenge the best in the world, but also beat them.Here is a list of top female athletes of India.

#12 P V Sindhu

P V Sindhu won two bronze medals at the World Championships in Guangzhou (2013) and Copenhagen (2014). She clinched bronze in the women’s team event at this year’s Incheon Asian Games.

She is India’s No. 2 ranked player and is ranked No. 10 in the world.

#11 Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta

Ashwini and Jwala clinched women’s doubles bronze at the 2011 World Championships in London. Ashwini also won bronze in Incheon Asian Games in the women’s team event. The duo were also part of the Uber Cup where India won bronze.

Awards for Jwala Gutta:

Arjuna award – 2011

#10 Jyotirmoyee Sikdar

A middle distance runner, she won gold in the 800m event at the Asian Athletics Championships in 1995. She later won bronze medals in both 800m and 1500m events at the 1998 Asian Athletics Championships.

Her best effort however was at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games in 1998.

Awards:

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna – 1998-99

Padma Shri – 2003

#9 Heena Sidhu

Heena Sidhu is the first Indian pistol shooter to be ranked No. 1 in the world and the first pistol shooter to win gold (10m air pistol) in the 2013 ISSF World Cup finals.

Her other major achievements include – silver (10m air pistol) and gold (10m air pistol team) at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. Gold in 10m air pistol event at the Asian Championships in Doha (2012) and Kuwait (2014).

Sidhu’s best effort at the Asian Games has been a silver in 10m air pistol event at the 2010 Guangzhou games. She clinched bronze this year in Incheon in the 25m air pistol team event.

#8 Anju Bobby George

She is the first Indian athlete to win a medal at the World Championships in Athletics when she clinched bronze in long jump at Paris in 2003. She later went on to win gold at the IAAF World Athletics final in 2005.

Anju won gold in the 2002 Busan Asian Games, but had to settle for silver in the next edition in Doha.

Awards:

Arjuna award – 2003-04

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna – 2003-04

Padma Shri – 2004

#7 Bachendri Pal

Bachendri Pal is the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest in 1984.

Awards:

Padma Shri – 1984

Arjuna award – 1986

#6 Deepika Kumari

Deepika Kumari is a former World No. 1 archer who has won three silver medals at World Cups in Istanbul (2011), Tokyo (2012) and Shanghai (2013). She also won bronze in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games in the recurve team event.

Awards:

Arjuna award – 2012

#5 Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza is the first Indian female Grand Slam winner when she won the Australian Open mixed doubles trophy partnering Mahesh Bhupathi. She has won three mixed doubles majors including the French Open (with Mahesh Bhupathi) and the US Open(with Bruno Soares).

She claimed several medals at the Asian Games which includes two gold medals in mixed doubles event in 2006 Busan and 2014 Incheon Games. She reached a career-high doubles ranking of 5 earlier this year.

#4 PT Usha

Usha put Indian athletics on the world map in the early 80’s. She is known as the queen of Indian track and field. She won a multitude of medals at the Asian Games which included four gold medals in the same edition in 1982 Seoul games in 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles and 4 X 400m relay.

Awards:

Arjuna award – 1984

Padma Shri – 1984

#3 Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa

Dipika and Joshna won India’s first gold medal in Squash at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Dipika also won a bronze medal in the Incheon Asian Games.

Awards for Dipika Pallikal:

Arjuna award – 2012

Padma Shri – 2014

#2 Saina Nehwal

Saina Nehwal is India’s highest ranked badminton player. She won the bronze medal in the recently concluded Incheon Asian Games. Her best effort was the 2012 London Olympics where she won bronze in Women’s singles.

She is currently ranked No. 7 in the world.

Awards:

Arjuna award – 2009

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna – 2009-10

Padma Shri – 2010

#1 Mary Kom

Mary Kom is a highly decorated Indian athlete having won an impressive five World Championships. She had won bronze in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, but improved it to gold in this year’s Incheon Asian Games.

She also won gold on four occasions in the Asian Women’s boxing championship. She was the first Indian female boxer to win an Olympic medal at the 2012 London Games where she clinched bronze.

Awards:

Arjuna award – 2003

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna – 2009

Padma Shri – 2010

Padma Bhushan – 2013

Edited by Staff Editor