Collective Newsroom is pleased to produce the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2024.

The nominees for the fifth edition were announced at a press conference held at the Lalit Hotel in Delhi on 16 January 2025.

The BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year (ISWOTY) award celebrates and honours the achievements of all women involved in sport in the country.

ISWOTY 2024

The five nominees for 2024 are golfer Aditi Ashok, shooters Manu Bhaker and Avani Lekhara, cricketer Smriti Mandhana and wrestler Vinesh Phogat. The nominees were shortlisted by a jury of authoritative sports journalists, experts and writers across India.

This year's theme "Champions' Champions" highlights the contribution of individuals behind the creation of sports champions.

Fiona Crack, Deputy Global Director, BBC News, said: "Now in its fifth year, the BBC's Indian Sportswoman of the Year is unprecedented in its ability to bring women's sporting achievements to the fore and has rightly shone a bright light on a range of inspirational sports stars across the country. We're delighted to announce the nominees for this year's awards and look forward to showcasing their talent and dedication to the world."

Rupa Jha, CEO of Collective Newsroom, said: "I am thrilled that the ISWOTY awards continue to celebrate trailblazing female athletes by recognising their outstanding achievements. These accolades play a pivotal role in promoting inclusivity, breaking gender stereotypes, and enhancing the visibility of women's sports."

Voting begins

The public can vote for their favourite nominee on any of the BBC's Indian language websites or on BBC Sport until 31 January 2025 (23:30 IST): BBC News, BBC News Hindi, BBC News Gujarati,  BBC News Punjabi, BBC News Marathi, BBC News Tamil and BBC News Telugu.

The winner with the most public votes will be announced at an award ceremony on 17 February 2025.

The BBC will also honour three other sportswomen nominated by the jury in the categories: BBC Emerging Player of the Year award, BBC Lifetime Achievement award and BBC Para-sportswoman of the Year award.

Collective Newsroom-BBC

Collective Newsroom began its relationship with its first client, BBC News, after launching as a new, independent Indian company on 10 April 2024.

It is the BBC's sole provider of content for its six Indian-language websites, social media platforms, and BBC News India's YouTube channel in English.

The six Indian languages are BBC News Hindi, BBC News Gujarati, BBC News Marathi, BBC News Punjabi, BBC News Tamil and BBC News Telugu.

Collective Newsroom also manages and produces the annual BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award.