Indian Women Athletes Break Barriers and Set New Records in 2024
In 2024, Indian women athletes have swept through the sporting world with a remarkable wave of achievements, leading to a transformational year of female sports in India. From Paralympic triumphs to firsts that break the mold, these athletes have been leading the way in defining excellence across a wide range of disciplines.
Manu Bhaker was the first Indian woman to win two medals in shooting at the Olympics in a historic moment for Indian shooting. Para-athlete Avani Lekhara created history, winning two gold medals at the Paralympics after competing magnificently at the 2020 showpiece.
Other Paralympics performances were outstanding as Sheetal Devi, 17, was India’s youngest Paralympic medalist, who won bronze in mixed compound archery. Devi, born with a rare congenital condition, defied gravity with her shoulders, feet, and mouth to learn archery and inspire athletes around the world.
Diana Pundole breaks through barriers in motorsport, becoming the first Indian woman to win in the MRF Indian National Car Racing Championship. Pundole is a teacher and mother of two, who has defied the traditional gender rules of motorsports.
Preethi Pal, who lives with cerebral palsy, was in the limelight as she continued to shine here for para-athletes, winning two bronze medals in Paralympic track events. Manisha Ramadass broke history as she became first Indian woman to win a Paralympic medal in badminton and crowned the World No. 1 ranking. The World Para Athletics Championships medal haul was topped by Deepthi Jeevanji adding gold and Paralympics bronze.
Sheetal Raj made her mark in mountaineering by becoming the first Indian woman to stand on the top of Mt. Cho Oyu and added it to her record of Mt Everest and Mt Kanchenjunga. Meanwhile, Rupa Bayor made new ground in taekwondo, becoming India’s first athlete to break into the World Top 10 Poomsae Rankings.
Rakshitha Raju and Simran Sharma, however, showed the talents of visually impaired athletes, the former competing in the Paralympic T11 1500m and the latter securing the bronze in a T20 200m. The achievements do reflect on how Indian sports are gradually getting more inclusive.
Bilquis Mir, a former canoeist and kayaker from Kashmir, made history in becoming the first Indian woman to serve as a jury member at the 2024 Olympics, which she adds to her list of accomplishments.
More than individual success stories, these are a game changer for Indian sports culture. These athletes are one more breaking new barriers and setting new pinnacles are much to pave the way for future generations of Indian women in sports that gender norms in athletics can be a challenged and an overcome.
