NEW DELHI, Dec 28: Indian women athletes capped 2025 with a series of landmark achievements across Olympic, non-Olympic, and para sports, making the year one of the most significant chapters in the country’s sporting history.
From world titles in chess and boxing to continental success in hockey and a historic first in blind women’s cricket, Indian sportswomen not only amassed medals but also expanded the scope and visibility of women’s sport nationwide.
One of the biggest individual achievements of the year came in chess, where Divya Deshmukh created history by winning the FIDE Women’s World Cup, becoming the first Indian woman to claim the prestigious global title. Her triumph reaffirmed India’s growing dominance in world chess and highlighted the rise of a new generation of women players making a mark on the international circuit.
Indian women boxers continued to assert their authority at the World Boxing Championships 2025, delivering a strong medal haul. Jaismine Lamboria and Minakshi Hooda clinched gold medals in their respective weight categories, while Nupur Sheoran secured silver and Pooja Rani added a bronze to India’s tally. Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen maintained her consistency through another successful international season, reinforcing India’s depth and strength in women’s boxing across divisions.
Jyothi Yarraji emerged as a standout performer by winning gold in the women’s 100m hurdles at the Asian Athletics Championships, cementing her status as one of Asia’s leading hurdlers. Rupal Chaudhary added to India’s medal count with a silver in the women’s 400m, before playing a key role in the gold-winning 4x400m relay team, reflecting India’s improving depth and competitiveness in track events.
Archery and shooting also produced notable results during the year. Jyothi Surekha Vennam won bronze at the Archery World Cup Final in the compound category, marking a first for India at the elite season-ending event. In shooting, Tejaswini clinched gold in the women’s 25m pistol at the ISSF Junior World Cup, underlining the strength of India’s emerging talent pipeline in precision sports.
In team sports, women’s hockey delivered a strong continental campaign. The Indian Women’s Hockey Team secured the silver medal at the Women’s Asia Cup 2025 in Hangzhou, finishing runners-up after a 1-4 loss against hosts China in the final.
Navneet Kaur scored for India in the opening minute of the title clash, while goals from Ou Zixia, Li Hong, Zou Meirong, and Zhong Jiaqi sealed the championship for the home side. India’s overall performance, including dominant wins earlier in the tournament, reaffirmed its position among Asia’s top women’s hockey teams.
Cricket remained a major highlight of the year. The Indian Women’s Cricket Team achieved a historic breakthrough by winning the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, securing a long-awaited global title and marking a defining moment for the sport in the country.
Individually, Smriti Mandhana crossed the landmark of 4,000 T20 International runs, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve the feat and underlining the growing depth, consistency, and professionalism in Indian women’s cricket.
One of the most powerful sporting stories of 2025 emerged from inclusive sport, as the Indian Blind Women’s Cricket Team won the inaugural Women’s T20 World Cup for the Blind. India defeated Nepal by seven wickets in the final to complete an unbeaten campaign and become the first-ever world champions in the format. Led by captain Deepika TC, the triumph brought national attention to blind women athletes and marked a significant step forward for disability sport in India.
Indian women athletes also played a key role in India’s most successful campaign at the Deaflympics 2025, winning multiple medals across shooting and golf. Anuya Prasad clinched gold in the women’s 10m air pistol, setting a Deaflympics final record.
Pranjali Prashant Dhumal won gold in the women’s 25m pistol and the 10m air pistol mixed team event, in addition to a silver in the individual 10m air pistol. Diksha Dagar added another gold in women’s individual golf, as Indian women helped drive the country’s record medal haul at the Games.
Indian women athletes also made their mark in para sports with a standout performance at the World Para Athletics Championships 2025. Simran Sharma led the charge, winning gold in the women’s 100m T12 and a silver in the 200m T12, while Preethi Pal added to India’s tally with a silver in the 100m T35 and a bronze in the 200m T35, highlighting the steady rise of Indian women in para athletics.
With achievements spread across disciplines and formats, 2025 stood out as a year in which Indian women athletes not only delivered results but also reshaped narratives. (UNI)
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