INDIA PROUD OF THEM (Sports Personality)

 Sports Personality of INDIA

1. VIJAY KUMAR (Shooting)

Vijay Kumar is an Indian sport shooter who is serving as ‘Subedar Major’ in the Indian Army. He has recently won an Olympic Silver medal in 2012 London Olympics. In the past he had won bronze medals in Asian Games in Doha (2006) and Guangzhou (2010). He has also won 5 gold medals and one silver medal in Commonwealth games in various shooting events. He has been awarded with the Arjuna Award in 2007 for his achievements.

2. SUSHIL KUMAR SOLANKI (Wrestling)

He is an Indian World Champion wrestler who won the gold medal in the 66 kg freestyle competition at the FILA 2010 World Wrestling Championships and a bronze medal in the Men's 66 kg Freestyle Wrestling event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. On July 2009, he received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. He has recently made India proud by winning a Silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

3. GAGAN NARANG (Shooting)

Gagan Narang is an Indian sports shooter who has recently won an Olympic bronze in the 2012 London Olympics. He has a medal tally of 8 Gold medals in the Commonwealth games in various events. For his achievements in the sporting arena he was conferred with the Padma Shree Award in the year 2010 and with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in the year 2011.

4. SAINA NEHWAL (Badminton)

Saina is the first Indian woman to reach the singles quarter finals at the Olympics and the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships. She made history on June 21, 2009, becoming the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament, by clinching the Indonesia Open with a stunning victory in Jakarta. She completed a hat-trick by winning the Indonesian Open on June 27, 2010. She has been felicitated with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (2009-10). She has also won Bronze in London which was India's first ever badminton medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

5. MARY KOM (Boxing)

Mary Kom is by far India’s most famous woman pugilist. She had won a bronze medal in 2012 London Olympics.  In the past she won Gold medals in Asian Women’s Boxing Championship in 2003, 2005, 2010, 2012 and Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championship in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010 and a Bronze medal in 2010 Asian games. She has been awarded with Arjuna Award(2003) and Padma Shree (2006).

6. YOGESHWAR DUTT (Wrestling)

Yogeshwar Dutt is a rising star in the arena of sport wrestling. He made India proud by clinching a Bronze medal in 2012 London Olympics. He has won Gold medals in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2010 Commonwealth wrestling championship and Silver medals in 2005 and 2007 Commonwealth wrestling championship in different events. He had also won a bronze 2006 Asian games. He has been awarded with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award as well as various prizes in cash and kind from time to time for his achievements. 

7. VIJENDER SINGH BENIWAL (Boxing)

He is an Olympic Medalist Indian boxer from Haryana. At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, he won a bronze medal—the first ever Olympic medal for an Indian boxer. After this historic win, Vijender was got Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. In 2009, he won the Bronze medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships.

8. ABHINAV BINDRA (Shooting)

He is the first ever Indian to win an individual Gold Medal since 1900 in air riffle event. He received the Arjuna Award at the young age of 17 and has been the youngest recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awards at 18 years. Abhinav has also been decorated with the Padma Bhushan, in 2009 after his historic Gold Medal win at the Beijing Olympics in the 10 m Air Rifle event.

9. ASHISH KUMAR (Gymnastic)

Ashish Kumar (born 1986) is an Indian gymnast from Allahabad, who won India's first-ever medals in gymnastics, in October 2010 at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and became the most successful Indian gymnast in Commonwealth Games history, by winning bronze and silver medals in different gymnastic events.

 

10. VISHWANATHAN ANAND (Chess)

He became India's first Grandmaster in 1988 & the first Indian to win the FIDE World Chess Championship in 2000. He has won awards like Arjuna Award (1985), Padma Shri(1987), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (1991-92), Padma Bhushan(2000), Padma Vibhushan (2007) and many other honors. He has defended his World Championship Title in the year 2012 by defeating Boris Gelfand.

11. SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR (Cricket)

Tendulkar scored most runs and most centuries in ODIs. He has many achievements to his credit like highest number of Test centuries, first cricketer to make 10,000 runs in ODIs, highest individual score by an Indian (200 not out) and most ‘Man of the Man’ awards in ODIs. He has been felicitated with awards like Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1997. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for 1997-98, Wisden leading cricketer in the World (2010), Padma Vibhushan (2008), Maharashtra Bhushan Award (2001), Arjuna Award (1994) and many more.

12. JAYANT TALUKDAR (Archery)

He made his international debut with the Asian Championship 2003 held at Yangon, where the Indian team grabbed a Silver Medal. At the Junior World Archery Championship 2004 held at Britain, the Indian team won its first ever Silver Medal over there, with Jayant being the highest scorer among the national team. He also won a Gold Medal at the SAF Games, Colombo. He has the distinction of grabbing the Gold Medal at the FITA Meteksan Archery World Cup tournament held at Porec, Croatia. The first Indian Archer ever to clinch the coveted title, Jayant defeated Magnus Petersson of Sweden in the final round to win the Gold by 108-105.

13. JEEV MILKHA SINGH (Golf)

He is the first Indian golfer to become a member of the European Tour. He is the highest ranked Indian golfer in the world and first broke into the top 100 in October 2006. Singh was born in Chandigarh, India, in a Sikh Rajput family to Indian Olympic athlete Milkha Singh and Nirmal Kaur, former captain of the Indian women's volleyball team. Singh received India's fourth highest civil honour the Padma Shri in 2007.

14. PANKAJ ARJAN ADVANI (Billiard)

He is the only Indian to have won both the billiards and snooker world titles. He won his first world championship title in 2003 IBSF World Snooker Championship in China. He is a World Champion in billiards and English billiards from India. He has been awarded by Padma Shri award in 2009, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2006, “International Indian" Award in 2005, Senior sports person of the Year 2005, Arjuna Award in 2004, the Indo-American Young Achiever's Award 2003.

15. LEANDER PAES (Lawn Tennis)

He won the Wimbledon junior title in 1990 and the junior US open title in 1991. He has won many doubles Grand Slam titles and some mixed doubles title as well. He won the bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

16. SANIA MIRZA (Lawn Tennis)

She is the first ever Indian to break into the top 30 WTA rankings. In 2004 she was awarded the Arjuna award and in 2006 Padma Shri award, for her achievements as a tennis player by the Indian Government. In March 2010, The Economic Times named Mirza in the list of the "33 women who made India proud".

17. P. T. USHA (Athlete)

Pilavullakandi Tevaraparampil Usha became the first Indian women to enter the final of an Olympics event in 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She won silver medals in the 100 m and the 200 m events in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad. She won gold in the 400 m with a new Asian record in the Asian Track and Field Championship in Kuwait. She also won five gold medals at the Asian Meet in Jakarta in 1985.

18. BAICHUNG BHUTIA (Football)

He is Captain of Indian football team. For the English club Bury F.C. in 1999 he became the first Indian footballer to play professional football in Europe. Bhutia, who has a football stadium named after him in honour of his contribution to Indian football, has also won the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri. On 28 October 2010 he started Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools in Delhi.

19. KAPIL DEV (Cricket)

Kapil Dev Captained India to World Cup victory in 1983. He broke Richard Hadlee's record of 431 wickets in Test cricket. He had scored first ODI century by an Indian. Kapil Dev the cricketer to score 4,000 Test runs and take 400 wickets. He also named Indian Cricketer of the Century by Wisden.

20. DHYAN CHAND (Hockey)

Major Dhyan Chand won 3 gold medals in Olympic Games. He awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956. For his extra-ordinary services to the nation, the Government of India celebrates Dhyan Chand's birthday (29th of August) as National Sports Day. He scored 101 goals at the Olympic Games and 300 goals in other international matches and his record is still unbroken.  In 1936 Berlin Olympics, he was honoured with 'Olive Crown' and in the 1968 Mexico Olympics; he was honored as 'Distinguished Guest'. He died on 3rd December 1979.