Monday, July 27, 2009

Sportswomen in India

There are very few female sports persons from India who have gained worldwide prominence. And in the case of Sania Mirza, one would have to admire the acclaim and recognition that she has received. Sania is the very first female player from the country to be ranked in inside the women’s top 100 on the WTA Tour rankings. She reached upto 27. She became the first Indian woman to win any grand slam event. And though as of late she has fallen down the rankings, she has to be admired for being viewed as a role model for others in the country. If we look for famous female sports persons in India then she is not he first and never the last one, however she is among the most talked about sports person in India.
According to me P.T. Usha has been the most famous female sports person in India. People of my generation have grown up listening about her. In the 1986 Seoul Asiad, she created new Asian Games records in all the events she participated. The Payyoli Express is one of the greatest athletes India has ever produced. Like Anil Kumble Circle in Bangalore, there is a road named after her in Cochin, P.T. Usha Road.
There are many more famous female sports persons in India. Saina Nehwal is one such lady. She is currently ranked number 6 in the world badminton female rankings. She scripted history on June 21 2009, becoming the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament after clinching the Indonesia Open. She has been named The Most Promising Player in 2008 and India too has hopes in her. Aparna Popat is ranked amongst the finest badminton players in the world. She has been winning the senior national title since 1998. Shikha Tandon is another such promising sports person. Though she has not made much splash uptil now, she has great potential to perform well for India. She was awarded Arjuna award in 2005.
Anju Bobby George made history when she won the bronze medal in Long Jump at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris. With this achievement, she became the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in a World Championships in Athletics. She was once ranked World No. 4 of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). In Chess also India has a few great female sports persons. Humpy Koneru is currently number two in the world for women. In shootings, we have Anjali Bhagwat. She was awarded the Arjuna award in 2000 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2002-03.
Karnam Malleswari, also a Khel Ratna awardee, won a bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics at Sydney, which made her the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. In 1995, Malleswari won the world weightlifting title in her class (54 kg) with a new record. Dola Banerjee is a cousin of the singers Shaan and Sagarika. She became world champion in archery by winning the gold medal in the women's individual recurve competition at the archery world cup held at Dubai, in November 2007. Joshna Chinappa was the first Indian girl to win the British Squash Championship title in 2003 and was also the youngest Indian women's national champion.
We have many great women cricketers too, the Tendulkars and Dravids. Mithali Raj, trained in Bharata Natyam, was the captain of the Indian women's cricket team. Jhulan Goswami is an all round cricketer who is currently the Indian Women's cricket team captain. She bowls at an unbelievable speed of 130-135 km/h, which is even on par with the male counterparts. She won the ICC Women's Player of the Year 2007.
The list of great Indian female sports persons is endless. Bachendri Pal was the first Indian woman to scale the Mount Everest, and the fifth woman in the world. Even the famous Nafisa Ali was a national swimming champion. Some one has said it so correct that “Sure God created man before woman. But then you always make a rough draft before the final masterpiece.” I suppose Indian sports’ masterpiece is coming out now.

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