Physically, mentally or emotionally women have always been strong in every aspect of life. They even act as a pillar of support love and care for their families. There has been a constant increase in the number of Indian Women Olympic Medalists.
There was a time when women especially Indian women were not allowed to participate in the Olympics and were considered not qualified for any sport or physical activity. Their abilities were limited only to the house and household chores.
In today’s time, however, women are competing from shoulder to shoulder with men and are performing exceptionally well. Women are playing sports in the Olympics and are bringing laurels for our country. The number of Indian Women Olympic Medalists have been increasing with the course of time.
Let’s take a look at the pride of a nation, The Indian Women Olympic Medalists mentioned below.
• Karnam Malleswari (Bronze medalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics)
Starting the list of Indian Women Olympic Medalists, Karnam Malleswari, born on June 1st, 1975 at Voosavanipeta, Srikakulam District, Andhra Pradesh, is the first-ever Indian woman to win a medal at the Olympics.
Starting her career at the age of 12, Malleswari was trained under the guidance of coach Neelam Shetty Appanna. After shifting to Delhi she was spotted by the Sports Authority of India and joined the national camp.
Professional Life
Representing India at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the women’s category of weightlifting (69 kg). She lifted 110 kg in the “snatch” and 130 kg in the “clean and jerk” categories summing up to a total of 240 kg.
She claimed the 3rd rank and became the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Olympics and is also the only Indian women lift weight lifter to win an Olympic medal.
Winning the world title in the 54 kg division in 1994 and 1995, she was ranked the number 3 in 1993 and 1996.
She won silver in 1994 at the World Championship in Istanbul and gold in 1995 at The Asian weightlifting championship in Korea in the category of 54 kg. In the same year, she won the title with a record lift of 113 kg at the World Championship in China.
Before securing the third position in the Olympics she had won 29 international medals including 11 golds and she was a two-time weightlifting world champion.
Malleswari has also been awarded The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award (the highest sporting honor), Padma Shree Award in 1999, and Arjuna Award in 1994.
• Mary Kom (Bronze Medalist at 2012 Summer Olympics)
Born on March 1st, 1983 at Kangathei, Manipur, India, Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, is second in the list of Indian Women Olympic Medalists. Commonly known as Mary Kom, she is the only female boxer who qualified for the 2012 summer Olympics in the flyweight category (51 kg) securing the third position.
Professional Life
Mary Kom currently and obligatory member of parliament in Rajya Sabha is the only female to win the title of world amateur boxing champion for straight six times.
Nicknamed magnificent Mary she has been ranked the world’s number one female light flyweight by AIBA.
She is the only female boxer to win a medal at each one of the first seven world championships. Also, she is the only boxer (male or female) to claim 8 world championship medals on her name.
The first Indian female boxer to secure the first position in the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon, South Korea, Mary Kom has achieved a lot of fame and glory by her passion and hard work struggle, and determination.
• Sakshi Malik (Bronze Medalist at 2016 Summer Olympics)
Third, on the list of Indian Women Olympic Medalists, we have Sakshi Malik born on 3rd September 1992, in Mokhra Village of Rohtak District in Haryana, in the family of a Delhi Transportation Corporation. She is an Indian freestyle wrestler who won the bronze medal in the 58 kg wrestling category and became the first Indian female wrestler to win a gold at the Olympics.
She was inspired by her grandfather Badlu Ram, who was also a wrestler and she started her training at the age of 12 under the guidance of Ishwar Dahiya.
Professional Life
At the 2014 commonwealth games in Glasgow, she won the silver medal and the bronze medal at the Asian Wrestling Championship in Doha in the year 2015.
Sakshi’s first victory as a professional boxer was when she won a bronze medal at the 2010 Junior World Championship in the 58 kg category.
After then in 2014 she won a gold medal at the Dave Schultz International Tournament in the 60 kg category. She never looked back after that and kept on going on the path of success.
• Saina Nehwal (Bronze Medalist at 2012 London Olympics)
Born on 17th March 1990 in Hisar District of Haryana, Sania Nehwal is the fourth on the list of Indian Women Olympic Medalists. The former World’s Number 1 professional badminton player according to the 2015 data, has won 24 international titles including seven super series titles.
She is the first female Indian badminton player and second Indian player after Prakash Padukone to claim the position of number one in the world.
Professional Life
In the 2016 Australia open she won the gold medal against Sun Yu (China) after defeating her with a score of 21-19 in the last round.
Nehwal is the only Indian to win at least one medal in every Olympics, The BWF World Championships, and The BWF World Junior Championships. She is the youngest Asian to win a 4-star tournament in 2006.
She has been awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the Padma Bhushan, the Arjuna Award, and has been ranked 18th on the list of most charitable athletes.
Also read: Minor League Cricket postponed to 2021
• Geeta Phogat (First female wrestler to qualify for the Summer Olympics)
Last but definitely not least on the list of Indian Women Olympic Medalists is Geeta Kumari Phogat is born on 15th December 1998 in Balali village of Charkhi District, Haryana. She is the first Indian freestyle wrestler to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Also, she is the first Indian women wrestler who qualified for the Olympic Summer Games.
Daughter of Shri Mahavir Singh Phogat who was himself a wrestler and the recipient of the Dronacharya Award was her first coach. Under his guidance, Geeta learned the basics of wrestling and won many medals at various championships.
Professional Life
Geeta had secured the first position at the 2009 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship organized in Jalandhar, Punjab.
She won the first-ever gold medal for India in the field of wrestling defeating Emily Bensted (Australia) by 5 points.
Dangal, a movie on the life of Geeta Kumari Phogat directed by Aamir Khan tells the story of a struggle passion and will power to win gold for her country and make her father her country, and her self proud.
As mentioned above the Indian Women Olympic Medalists have made India proud in every way possible. No doubt India has been progressing over and over since ages and the step of introducing sports for women in the Olympics was not regret.
Very insightful
Thanks for sharing such an amazing article….
Amazing time reading it
Nice article but Saina Nehwal was the first Indian Badminton player to win a medal in the Olympic Games.
She became the first Indian to win a Super Series title and the first Indian in the Commonwealth Games to win a couple of singles of women in the game of gold (2010 and 2018).