NEW DELHI: Celebrated Indian pistol shooter Manu Bhaker was awarded the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year on Monday in recognition of her outstanding achievements at the Paris Olympics. Manu was selected from a group of five finalists, which included golfer Aditi Ashok, para shooter Avani Lekhara, India’s women’s cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and wrestler Vinesh Phogat, all of whom were honored for their significant contributions to Indian sports. The nominees were chosen by a distinguished panel of sports journalists and writers. Now in its fifth year, the ISWOTY Award aims to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable feats of female athletes in India.
At just 22 years old, Manu clinched the award after winning two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, making her the first Indian athlete to achieve multiple medals at a single Games since Independence. She secured bronze in both the 10m air pistol individual event and the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Back in 2018, Manu made headlines as the youngest Indian shooter to win a World Cup gold at the age of 16. A recipient of the Arjuna Award, she was previously honored as BBC’s Emerging Player of the Year in 2021.
Other notable awardees on the evening included para archer Sheetal Devi (BBC Emerging Player of the Year), former India women’s cricket captain Mithali Raj (BBC Lifetime Achievement Award), and para shooter Avani (BBC Para Sportswoman of the Year). Chess player Tania Sachdev received the BBC Changemaker Award.
Manu expressed her deep appreciation for the recognition and reflected on her path to Olympic success, stating, “I’m grateful to the BBC for this honor. A few years ago, I won the Emerging Player award, and this year I achieved the big one. My journey has indeed had its share of challenges.” She went on to say, “After Tokyo, I faced a lot of hurdles and missed several events, but the journey didn’t stop; it went on. You have the power to write your own narrative, and I did just that in Paris. I’m determined to change the medal color at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.” (AGENCIES)
