New Delhi: Indian cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, her deputy Smriti Mandhana, and chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh are among the nominees for the prestigious BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Awards 2025. The other two nominees include pistol shooter Suruchi Singh and track and field athlete Jyothi Yarraji, celebrating a year of outstanding achievements by Indian women in sports.
“Indian Sportswoman of the Year honours a year of exceptional sporting excellence for women in India, and the BBC World Service provides a unique platform to showcase these accomplishments globally,” said Fiona Crack, Interim Global Director, BBC News.
Captain Courageous: Harmanpreet Kaur
Kaur led India to its first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup title in November 2025 on home soil. Her remarkable 88-ball 89 in the semi-finals against Australia helped chase a challenging 339-run target. Kaur’s innings in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, a 171 not out, remains one of the greatest in women’s cricket.
She has been featured in Time magazine’s 2023 Top 100 Emerging Leaders and BBC’s 100 Most Inspiring Women.
Chasing Greatness: Smriti Mandhana
Vice-captain Mandhana continues to cement her place among the sport’s all-time greats. The 29-year-old left-hander holds the second-highest number of centuries in ODIs and ranks third in career runs among current players.
Hailing from Sangli, Maharashtra, Mandhana was inspired by her father and brother, both district-level cricketers. She made headlines in September 2025 with a 50-ball century against Australia, the fastest by an Indian, breaking Virat Kohli’s record. Mandhana has been named ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year twice, in 2018 and 2021.
New Queen of 64 Squares: Divya Deshmukh
At just 20 years old, Deshmukh made history by becoming the first Indian and youngest-ever winner of the FIDE Women’s World Cup, earning her grandmaster title. She defeated Koneru Humpy, India’s first female grandmaster, in a historic final.
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Born in Nagpur, Deshmukh began playing chess at age five and quickly rose through the ranks, winning national and international youth championships. She also helped India claim bronze at the Chess Olympiad and gold at individual and team events in 2025.
Guns and Glory: Suruchi Singh
Pistol shooter Singh established herself as a top player by winning multiple medals at international competitions, including ISSF World Cups and World Championships.
From Haryana, the 19-year-old dominated the 2024 National Shooting Championship with seven gold medals. In 2025, she achieved a rare golden treble at ISSF World Cups in Buenos Aires, Lima, and Munich and became the top-ranked woman shooter in the ISSF 10m air pistol category.
Setting the Stage Ablaze: Jyothi Yarraji
Hurdler Yarraji became the first Indian woman to qualify for the 100m hurdles at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Overcoming humble beginnings, she has broken national records multiple times and earned multiple gold medals at national and Asian competitions, including the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi.
Award Selection
The nominees were shortlisted by a distinguished jury of sports editors, writers, and specialists, evaluating performances over the past year, highlighting the exceptional talent and dedication of Indian sportswomen in 2025.