Sania Mirza (Tennis)

Sania Mirza, born 15 November 1986, is an Indian professional tennis player, currently ranked World No. 1 in women's doubles.From 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, she was ranked as India's No. 1 player, both in singles and doubles. Throughout her successful career, Mirza has established herself as the most successful female Indian Tennis player in history and one of the highest-paid and high-profile athletes in the country.

In addition, she is the third Indian woman in the Open Era to feature and win a round at a Grand Slam Tournament (going as far as the last 16). She has also won a total of 14 medals (including 6 Gold) at three major multi-sport events, namely the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Afro-Asian Games.

Sania was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India on 15 November 1986 in a Sunni Muslim family, to a builder, Imran Mirza and his wife Naseema, who worked in a printing business. Shortly after her birth, her family moved to Hydrabad where she and younger sister Anam were raised in a religious family. She took up tennis at the age of six. She has been coached by her father and also Roger Anderson. 

Sania has established a tennis academy in Hyderabad. Former world no. 1s and multilple Grand Slam winners Cara Black and  Navratilova have both visited the academy on different occasions.

Sania Mirza was announced as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia. She is the first South Asian Woman to be appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador in the organization's history.

Year	Award
2009	Australian Open mixed doubles title (partner Mahesh Bhupathi)
2008	Became Asia No. 1 Player on 28-01-2008. Ranked 29th at that time.
2006	Padmshree Award by the Government of India. Become achiever of Padmashree youngest winner at the age of 19. A Padmashree award is one of the Highest civilian awards in India and the winners are honored on Republic Day.
2006	Gold medal in mixed doubles (partner Leander Paes), silver medal in singles and silver in women's team events (partner Shikha Uberoi) at the 15th Asian Games, Doha, Qatar.
2005	Newcomer of the Year from the WTA (Women's Tennis Assocoiation)
2004	Arjuna Award by the Government of India.

Geeta Phogat (Wrestling)

Geeta Phogat was born on December , 1988, in Balali, Haryana to parents Mahavir Singh and Daya Kaur. Phogat is a female wrestler from India who won India's first ever gold medal in women's wrestling in the 55 kg freestyle category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and is sponsored by the JSW Sports Excellence Program. She comes from a Hindu Jat family of Balali village in Bhiwani district, Haryana. Her father Mahavir Singh, a former wrestler himself, is also her coach.

She is the first-ever Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for the Olympics. Phogat won a gold medal in the Wrestling FILA Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament that concluded at Almaty, Kazakhstan in April 2012.^[5] She has undergone rigorous training at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, (NSNIS), Patiala, under the guidance of chief coach O.P. Yadav and foreign expert Ryan Dobo. She has numerous other international medals to her credit, including three consecutive medals in the Asian Cadet Championships in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Geeta will be potrayed in 2016 Aamir Khan starrer film Dangal.

Achievements:

• Bronze Medal in Senior World Championship in September 2012 in Canada.
• Bronze Medal in FILA Wrestling World Championships 2012 in Stratha County.
• Gold Medal in Common Wealth Games in 2010 in Delhi.
• Gold Medal in Common Wealth Championshoips in 2009 in Jalander.
• Gold Medal in FILA Asaian Olympic Qualification Tournament in 2012 in Kazakhastan.

Sharmila Nicollet (Golf)

Sharmila Nicollet is an Indo French professional golfer from Bangalore, India.
She was born on March 12, 1991. Nicollet was born in Bangalore. Her father Marc Nicollet is French and her mother Surekha Nicollet is from Bangalore. Surekha is a perfumist and has her own Padmini Aroma Ltd in Bangalore while Marc is a software professional.

Nicollet did her schooling in Bishop Cotton Girls’ School and Bangalore International school finishing her 10th grade and 12th grade privately. She is now pursuing a degree privately as well. Nicollet pursued golf in 2002 at the age of 11. She won her first tournament at the age of 15. She is a former national sub-junior swimming champ with over 72 gold and silver medals won in state and national aquatic meets (1997 to 2001). She was a state level athlete as well, making records at Bishop Cotton Girls School where she studied.

Nicollet has represented India at the Asian Games at Doha 2006 and in Asia Pacific Junior Golf Tournament, played at the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego, the Queen Sirikit Cup at Japan, the Malaysian Open and other international tournaments. Nicollet was also the youngest lady golfer to win the All-India Ladies Amateur Championship in 2007–2008, along with seven Open Amateur Tournaments.

Nicollet turned professional in 2009 when she was 18 years old.^[8] She is the youngest Indian golfer to qualify for Ladies European Tour. She is the second Indian to earn a full card on the Ladies European Tour. Nicollet won the 2009–2010 Order of Merit on the Women's Golf Association of India and then five further events to finish on top of the 2010– 2011 Order of Merit. She finished the top Indian golfer at T22, at the 2011 Hero Honda Women's Indian Open, with the lowest score of the day in the final round. She has a total of 11 wins on the Women's Golf Association of India.

She finally qualified with a full tour card for the Ladies European Tour in 2012, being the youngest Indian golfer to qualify.

Anjum Chopra (Cricket)

Anjum Chopra (born 20 May 1977 in New Delhi) is an Indian woman cricketer. A sports girl from the start, the first time she stepped onto the cricket ground was at the age of 9. She played her first friendly match with the college girls' team at the inter-college level, scoring 20 runs and taking 2 wickets. Later the same year she was selected to play for New Delhi in the under−15 tournament

A sports person, she played various sports at an early age, representing her school and college in athletics, basketball, and swimming. She was also a member of the Delhi State basketball team that competed at nationals.

Anjum made her debut in one-day internationals at the early age of 17, on 12 February 1995 against New Zealand at Christchurch, New Zealand, and made her debut in Test cricket a few months later against England at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 17 November 1995. In only her second series for India the same year, she was awarded player of the series in the one day internationals against the visiting England cricket team, scoring runs at an average of 67.5.

She is a left-handed batswoman who bowls right-arm medium-fast. She has played in 12 Tests and 116 ODIs.

Anjum Chopra is a Test and One Day International cricketer who represented India women's cricket team. She is currently working as a cricket commentator. She made her One Day International debut in 1995 against New Zealand at Christchurch. In the first ODI she opened the bowling for India, giving 14 runs in her 4 overs. Going in to bat at No 10 for India, she had a crucial partnership of 11 runs to secure the victory for India.

She made her Test match debut in November 1995 against England in Calcutta. She was sent in as a night watchgirl against the English team in the fading light of Calcutta in her very first Test match for India. Living up to her coach's confidence in her she successfully batted till the next morning till lunch scoring crucial 27 for her team.

She was made Vice Captain of the Indian team in 2000 Cricinfo World Cup in New Zealand. With two player of the match awards and highest scorer from India, Anjum led the batting charts at the World Cup until the Indian team lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners New Zealand.

Awards

• Padma Shri 2014.
• Arjuna Award, 2007.
• Rajiv Gandhi Delhi state award in 2004.
• ICC Player of the match awards in 2000, 2005, 2009.
• Shiromani Desh Sewa Rattan award- presented by Shaheed memorial international sewa society, Ludhiana in 2002.
• Award of honour for exemplary contribution in the field of cricket presented during forum of women in public sector, 2004.
• Zee Astitva award – 'Award for exemplary women', 2008.
• FICCI – YFLO- Young women achievers award, 2009.
• Award for contribution to field of sports presented during National Progressive schools conference, 2011.
• FORE School of management- Alumni recognition award for public contribution, 2012.
• Shaksiyat Awards on International women day for outstanding performance in the field of sports, March 2013.
• Delhi Public School, Indore honoured for exemplary contribution in the field of sports, 2012–13.
• All India National Life insurance Employees Federation honours in recognition to the society and nation on their 50 years (golden jubilee celebration), 2013.

Anju Bobby George (Long Jump)

Anju was born on 19 April 1977 in Kochuparambil family in Changanassery, Kerala to K. T. Markose. She was initiated into athletics by her father and her interest was further developed by her trainer in Koruthode school. She did her schooling in CKM Koruthode School and graduated from Vimala College.

Anju's journey to success from rank 61 in 2001 to rank 6 in 2003 within a short span of two years, was one of sheer hard work and intensive planning. The credit for her success goes to her husband and coach Robert Bobby George who according to her was the biggest influence who helped her in realizing her potential and achieving the goal.

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 jumping 6.70 m. She went on to win the Gold medal at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005, a performance she considers her best. She also won a gold medal at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games.

In September 2005, Anju won the gold medal in the women's long jump at the 16th Asian Athletics Championship in Incheon City of South Korea with a leap of 6.65 meters. She went on to win the Gold medal at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005 with a leap of 6.75 m, a performance she considers her best. She won silver medal in women's long jump in 15th Asian Games, 2006 held at Doha. In 2007, Anju won silver medal in 17th Asian Athletics Championship at Amman ( Jordan) with a jump of 6.65m and this qualified her for Osaka World Championship in August 2007 where she finished 9th. Anju start her 2008 season with silver medal in 3rd Asian Indoor Championship in athletics at Doha (Qatar) with a jump of 6.38m and she improved her distance to 6.50m by winning gold in the 3rd South Asian Athletics Championship at Kochi ( Kerala, India).

Career Highlights:

1996
- 1st place TJ Pune
- 4th place LJ/TJ Jr. Asian Track & Field Meet

1997

- 1st place TJ National Championships

1998
- 1st place LJ Madras

- 2nd place TJ Calcutta

1999
- 1st place LJ Bangalore
- 1st place LJ Sri Lankan Open
- 1st place LJ National Championships
- 1st place LJ Trivandrum International Circuit Meet
- 2nd place LJ Katmandu SAF Games

2000
- 1st place LJ Lucknow Federation Cup
- 1st place LJ Hissar International Circuit Meet
- 1st place LJ Bhopal International Circuit Meet
- 1st place LJ New Delhi International Circuit Meet

2001
- 1st place LJ Banglore Federation Cup
- 1st place LJ Trivandrum Circuit Meet
- 1st place LJ/TJ Ludhiana National Games
- 3rd place LJ Hungary International Invite

2002
- 1st place LJ Chennai
- 1st place TJ InterState
- 1st place LJ Bangalore
- 1st place LJ Asian Games
- 1st place TJ Federation Cup
- 1st Place LJ/TJ Federation Cup
- 1st place LJ Busan Asian Games
- 1st place LJ National Championships
- 1st place LJ New Delhi National Open
- 1st place LJ Hyderabad National Games
- 2nd place LJ Asian Grand Prix

- 3rd place LJ Commonwealth Games

2003
- 1st place LJ Eagle Rock
- 1st place LJ Afro Asian Games
- 1st place LJ Jim Bush SC Meet
- 1st place LJ Modesto NorCal Meet
- 2nd place LJ Stockholm IAAF Super GP
- 3rd place LJ World Athletic Championships
- 4th place LJ Golden League World GP

- World Ranked #6

2004
- 1st place LJ Seiko
- 1st place LJ All-Stars
- 1st place LJ Chennai
- 1st place LJ New Delhi
- 1st place LJ Grand Prix Doha
- 2nd place LJ Madrid
- 2nd place LJ Eugene
- 3rd place LJ Prefontaine

- 4th place LJ Osaka

2005
- 1st place LJ Asian Championships
- 1st place LJ National Championships
- 2nd place LJ World Athletics Final
- 4th place LJ Stockholm
- 4th place LJ London

2006
- 1st place LJ Federation Cup
- 1st place LJ Interstate Chennai
- 1st place LJ Colombo South Asian Games
- 2nd place LJ Doha Asian Games
- 2nd place LJ Pune Asian Grand Prix
- 2nd place LJ Bangalore Asian Grand Prix
- 2nd place LJ Pattaya Aisan Indoor Championships

2007
- 1st place LJ Pune
- 1st place LJ Asian Grand Prix Pune
- 1st place LJ Asian Grand Prix Guwahati
- 2nd place LJ Asian Championships
- 3rd place LJ Bayer

2008
- Beijing Olympian
- 1st place LJ Bangalore
- 1st place LJ Inter-State Madurai
- 1st place LJ Asian Grand Prix Hanoi
- 1st place LJ Asian Grand Prix Nakhon
- 1st place LJ Asian Grand Prix Bangkok
- 1st place LJ South Asian Championships
- 2nd place LJ Asian Championships

Awards:

Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award in 2004.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2003–2004 after her success in the World Athletic meet

Arjuna award in 2002–2003 for eminent sports persons from the government of India and the country's highest sporting honour

Jimmy George Award in the year 2004.

Hero Sports Academy Awards- Sports Woman of the year in 2004 & 2005.

Mathrubhumi Star of the year in the year 2003.

The best female Athlete National Games in the year 2001 & 2002.

Mary Kom (Boxing)

Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom also know as MC Mary Kom, Simply Mary Kom, is a boxer from Manipur, India. Kom was born in Kangathei, in Churachandpur district of Manipur in Easten India on March 1, 1983. She is a five-time World Amateur Boxing champion, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six World Championships. Nicknamed ‘Magnificient Mary’, she is the only Indian women boxer to have qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics, competing in the flyweight (51 kg) and winning the bronze medal.

Born into a poor family she began helping her parents in by working in the fields while she was still very young. As a school girl she used to play a variety of sports such as hockey, football and athletics but surprisingly not boxing! When the Manipuri boxer Dingko Singh won a gold at the Asian Games in 1998, she was inspired to take up boxing. Still taking up a sport considered ‘masculine’ by social standards was no easy task for the young tribal girl. But Mary was not someone to be discouraged, and traveled to Imphal to train in athletics. Today her success is for all to see! Of course, there is more to Mary Kom than just professional success, she also teaches boxing to the under-privileged youngsters for free.

She was the eldest of the four siblings and had to work hard from a very young ge to fend for her family. She not only went to school to study, but also took care of her younger siblings and worked in the fields with her parents to help them. She started her training under M. Narjit Singh, Manipur State Boxing Coach at Khuman Lampak, Imphal. She met K Onler Kom when she was at New Delhi in 2001 on her way to the National Games in Punjab.  The young man was highly impressed by Mary’s grit and ambitions. The couple dated for four years before tying the note in 2005. They have been blessed with three sons. Her much awaited autobiography, ‘Unbreakable’ which chronicles around all her life struggles and how she rose above them was released in 2013 by Harper Collins.

Her first career win came in 2000 when she won the best Boxer award at the First State level Invitation to the women’s boxing championship in Manipur. After that she proceded to win the gold in the Seventh East India Women’s Boxing Championship held in West Bengal. A profiled woman who demonstrated a relentless passion for the game, she won a total of 5 National Championships held from 2000 to 2005. Between 2001 and 2006, she won the AIBA World Boxing Championship thrice in the years 2002, 2005, and 2006, and came second in the year 2001.

A petite woman, she competed in the 51 kg class in the 2010 Asian Games and won a bronze medal. Again at the Asian Women’s Boxing Championship in Mongolia in 2012 she participated in the same 51 kg class and won the gold medal., In 2012 Women’s boxing featured as an in the Summer Olympics in London for the first time. Mary did manage in securing a place at the events and won a bronze medal.

Awards:

Award	Year
Arjuna Award (Boxing)	2003
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (Contender)	2007
People of the Year – Limca Book of Records	2007
Reliance Industries’ Real Heroes Award	2008
Pepsi MTV Youth Icon	2008
‘Magnificent Mary’ AIBA	2008
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award	2009
IBA’s Ambassador for Women’s Boxing	2009
Sahara Sport’s Women of the year	2010
Padma Shree (Sports)	2010
Padmaa Bhushan (Sports)	2013

Mary Kom is a supporter of animal rights, and has associated with animal rights organisation, PETA India, to call for an end to the use of elephants in circuses by staring in an ad. Mary has also backed India’s PETA human education campaign, Compassionate Citizen. She has also written a letter to the education minister of the state and union territories of India requesting that the programme be incorporated into the official curriculum of the schools.

Saina Nehwal (Badminton)

Saina Nehwal is the second daughter of Harvir Singh and Usha Rani, born on March 17, 1990 at the University Hospital of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar, Haryana. Her father worked in worked in the hospital she Saina was born. Saina completed her schooling at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Vidyashram, NIRD campus, Hyderabad. Nehwal also has a brown belt in Karate.

Saina Nehwal is currently ranked No.1 in the world by Badminton World Federation Women's Singles 2015.  She is the first Indian to win a medal in Badminton at the Olympics. She is also the first Indian after Prakash Padukone and the first Indian woman to become world number 1. Besides these, she is the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships and was also the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament. Saina is supported by the Olympic Gold Quest.

In 2006, Saina became the under-19 national champion and created history by winning the prestigious Asian Satellite Badminton tournament (India Chapter) twice, becoming the first player to do so. She became the first Indian woman to reach the quarter finals at the Olympic Games when she upset world number five and fourth seed Wang Chen of Hong Kong in a three-game thriller.

Saina successfully led the Indian Women Team to the Quarter-finals stage of the 2010 Uber Cup finals. Saina became the first Indian Woman to reach the semifinals of 2010 All-England Super Series. After her gold medal win in the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi Saina said, "When I was a match-point down, it was like a shock. It was a big match and winning it means a lot to me. Even many years from now, those present here will always remember how Saina won the gold. It is a proud feeling". 

Career Statistics:

	Singles	Doubles
Played	381	33
Won	266	9
Lost	115	24
Win Percentage	69.81%	27.27%

Besides these, she also has won 16 other Singles tittles which include 5 Super Series Premieres, 4 Super Series, and 7 Grand Prix Golds. In 2002, sports brand Yonex offered to sponsor Saina’s kit. As her status and rankings improved, the sponsorships increased. In 2004, BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited) signed the rising star. She is the brand ambassador of Sahara India Pariwar. Saina endorses Herbalife, Top Ramen Noodles, Fortune Cooking Oil, Indian Overseas Bank, Vaseline, Sahara and Yonex.  She has a dedicated sporting range with the multinational sports goods manufacturer Yonex, 4% of the profits of which goes to her.

Awards:

Award	Year
Arjuna Award	2009
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna	2010
Padma Shri	2010

Institute	Year	Cash Prize
Haryana State Govt.	2012	₹ 10 million
Rajasthan State Govt.	2012	₹ 5 million
Andhra Pradesh State Govt.	2012	₹ 5 million
Badminton Association of India	2012	₹ 1 million

Deepika Kumari (Archery)

Deepika Kumari is an Indian athlete who competes in the event of Archery, is currently ranked World No. 5, and is a former world number one. Deepika was born on June 13, 1994 to Shivnarayan Mahato, an auto-rickshaw driver and Geeta Mahato, a nurse at Ranchi Medical College. Her parents live at Ratu Chati village, 15 km away from Ranchi. As a child, she practised archery while aiming for mangoes with stones. 

In the early days it was rather difficult for the parents to financially support Deepika's dream, often compromising on the family budget to buy her new equipment for her training; as a result, Deepika practised archery using homemade bamboo bows and arrows. Deepika's cousin Vidya Kumari, then an archer residing at Tata Archery Academy, helped her develop her talent.

Deepika made her first breakthrough in 2005 when she entered Arjun Archery Academy, an institute set up by Meera Munda, wife of chief minister of the state Shri. Arjun Munda at Kharsawan. But her professional archery journey begun in the year 2006 when she joined the Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur. It was here that she started her training with both the proper equipment as well as a uniform. She also received Rs 500 as a stipend. Deepika returned home once in her first three years there, only after having won the Cadet World Championship title in November 2009.

Deepika become the second Indian to win the title after Palton Hansda won the junior compound competition at the 2006 Archery World Cup in Mérida, Mexico. She won the 11th Youth World Archery Championship held in Ogden, USA in 2009, at the age of fifteen. She also won a gold medal in the same competition in the women's team recurve event.

At the Delhi Commonwealth games 2010, Deepika won two gold medals, one in the individual event and the other in the women's team recurve event. For this, she was honoured with the Outstanding Performance at CWG (Female) Award at the 2010 Sahara Sports Awards ceremony. In May 2012, Deepika Kumari won her first World Cup individual stage recurve gold medal at Antalya, Turkey. She beat Korea's Lee Sung-Jin by six set points to four in the final. Later in 2012, she would go on to become world no. 1 in Women's Recurve Archery.

Career Highlights:

2006

- Gold medal in the individual compound event of the junior World Cup at Merida in Mexico.-Gold medals in both the individual and team recurve events of the 11th Youth World Archery Championship at Ogden in USA.

2010

- Gold medals in both the individual and team recurve events of Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India.
- Bronze medal in the team recurve event of the Asian Games at Guangzhou in China.

2011

- Silver medal in the team recurve event of the 46th World Championships at Turin in Italy
- Silver medal in the individual recurve event of the World Cup Stage III at Ogden in USA.
- Gold medal in the team recurve event of the World Cup Stage IV at Shanghai in China.
- Gold medal in the individual recurve event of the World Youth Archery Competition at Legnika, Poland.

2012

- Gold medal in the individual recurve event of the World Cup Stage II at Antalya, Turkey.