BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2024

Olympic medal-winner shooter Manu Bhaker has won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award for 2024.

Conducted by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the Indian Sportswoman of the Year or ISWOTY is an annual award which celebrates Indian female athletes and recognises their successes in various sports over the past year.

This was the fifth edition of the award. A panel of eminent Indian sports journalists and experts voted to choose the nominees before public voting was conducted to determine the winner.

Golfer Aditi Ashok, para-shooter Avani Lekhara, cricketer Smriti Mandhana and wrestler Vinesh Phogat were the other nominees for this year’s award.

Manu Bhaker, just 22, created history at the Paris 2024 Olympics last year. She became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting after claiming bronze in the women's 10m air pistol in Paris.

Two days later, she won a second bronze alongside Sarabjot Singh in the mixed 10m air pistol event to become the first Indian to win two medals at a single Olympic Games post the country’s independence.

Norman Pritchard is the only other Indian athlete to win multiple medals at a single Summer Games edition. He won a double silver at Paris 1900.

“I have had a journey of ups and downs. I hope I can inspire women, all athletes and people with big dreams. Your journey doesn't end if you are struggling. You write your own story," Bhaker, who previously won the BBC's ISWOTY Emerging Athlete of the Year award back in 2020, said.

Badminton star PV Sindhu won the award in the inaugural edition in 2019 while chess player Koneru Humpy was the recipient in 2020.

Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, won the prestigious edition in 2021 and 2022. There were no BBC ISWOTY awards held in 2023.

Avani Lekhara, meanwhile, was presented with the para-sportswoman of the year award for 2024.

The 23-year-old rifle shooter became the first Indian woman to win three Paralympic medals after bagging a gold at Paris 2024 to add to her gold and bronze from Tokyo 2020.

Para-archer Sheetal Devi was named the Emerging Athlete of the Year after becoming India's youngest Paralympic medallist at Paris 2024.

Former Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award. Raj, 42, had led the team from 2004 to 2022 and is the longest-serving captain in international cricket history.

BBC Awards 2024 winners

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