India in 2015: Sania, Saina, Deepika underlined growing might of sportswoman

While golfer Anirban Lahiri, wrestler Narsingh Yadav and boxer Shiva Thapa raised the bar, the performances of Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal and Deepika Kumari underlined the growing might of the Indian sportswoman...
The Indian men's hockey team set an example by qualifying early for the Olympics and rounding off its rollercoaster journey this year with a bronze at the World Hockey League finals. But a tenacious women's team stole their thunder, making its way to the quadrennial event after 36 years to spice up the country's preparations for the 2016 Games.
Three personalities rode the crest like the women's hockey team this year. Deepika Kumari led a confident group of archers as the country's women recurve team qualified for Rio. Wrestler Narsingh Yadav announced his arrival in the 74kg category, winning the World Championship bronze in Las Vegas and raising questions about Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar's divine right to represent India at Rio. The third athlete was Shiva Thapa, who fought bravely in the World Boxing Championships to raise hopes of an Olympic quota before losing in the semifinals. A berth in the final would have helped Thapa fetch the country its first quota in boxing.
It was the year of the underdogs, although at times it looked as if the big players would drown them out.
Golfer Anirban Lahiri was one such from the galaxy of stars with title triumphs at the Malaysian and Indian Opens in a span of three weeks. However, Lahiri, who played all four Majors and made the cut in three, savoured his biggest moment at the PGA Championships in Kohler, Wisconsin in August with a tied fifth finish. His was an imperious march that got him a place in the international team that took part in the Presidents Cup and put him on a safe perch at No. 1 in the World Rankings ahead of the Olympics.

Saina Nehwal (AFP Photo) and Deepika Kumari (Getty Images)
Sania Mirza was the other go-getter who formed a near-invincible partnership with Martina Hingis in women's doubles. She won the Wimbledon, US Open and the WTA Finals titles even as she moved to the top of the doubles rankings. Shuttler Saina Nehwal too was in the vanguard, becoming the first Indian woman to be ranked No. 1 in the world. Her march into the finals of the All-England, World Championships and the China Open generously helped her cause as did her triumphs at the India Open Superseries.
But the story of the women's hockey team caught everyone's attention only because of the perseverance, determination and drama that punctuated its passage into the Olympics. The last time the women's hockey team figured in the Games was in Moscow 1980 as invitees. India's first attempt at making the Rio grade ­ the 2014 Incheon Asian Games ­ had insurmountable hurdles in South Korea and China. They fell in the semifinals to South Korea and realised the only opportunity was the World Hockey League Semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium. Having lost in the quarterfinals, they made the most of the classification matches, defeating Italy and Japan to ensure a fifth place finish. With the International Hockey Federation rules accommodating continental results to finalise Olympic qualifiers, India qualified as the 10th team after the Netherlands ­ which had won the WHL semifinals ­ clinched the European title too.
What stood out in the maze of permutations and combinations was the grit and resolve of the women's hockey team.

Indian women hockey team. (Getty Images)
Deepika too showed similar traits at the Copenhagen World Championships in July. With the London 2012 fiasco weighing heavily on her mind, Deepika worked hard at the gym during the off-season, increased her bow poundage considerably for better arrow speed, accuracy and sure shots at the target. The result: the women's recurve team won a historic silver and made the Rio grade beating Germany, Colombia and Japan.
Yadav's bronze (74kg) at the Las Vegas world wrestling championship too was a momentous occasion. It reassured India's sporting world that wrestling can indeed look beyond Sushil. It was also India's lone claim to fame in wrestling in the absence of an injured London Olympics medallist Yogeshwar Dutt. The quota place will be hotly contested and debated but Yadav, who staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Frenchman Zelimkhan Khadijev for the bronze, continues to hog the limelight.
Though only the third Indian medallist at the World championship among men, Shiva Thapa (56kg) wasn't lucky enough to grab a quota at the Doha meet. But he is willing to wait for the next opportunity like scores of others. With the federation having been banned by AIBA, Thapa's feat will serve as the lone axis on which Indian boxing can wing ahead. The second and final round of Olympic qualifiers are in March and the likes of Mary Kom, who has returned from injury, L Sarita Devi, who is on a comeback trail after serving a one-year suspension, and others such as Mandeep Jangra (69kg) and Vikas Krishan (75kg) will look forward to a quota.
Prominent among the shooters who have secured Olympic quota are Jitu Rai (50m free pistol) Abhinav Bindra (10m air rifle), Gagan Narang (50m rifle prone), Apurvi Chandela (10m air rifle, women) and Prakash Nanjappa (10m air pistol).
In a first, skeet specialist Mairaj Ahmed Khan fetched India their maiden quota in the category. But the fact that the other Indians have largely struggled will be a matter of concern.
Discus thrower Vikas Gowda qualified after the IAAF decreased the Olympic mark by one metre. He would need a superhuman effort in Rio to make an impact. But two other athletes showed great promise. Shotputter Inderjeet Singh, who had to struggle hard to make the grade, and Lalita Babar (women's steeplechase) who qualified for the first time in Indian history.


Hasn't done much since winning bronze in the London Games. The Sonepat-lad has grappled with injuries which forced him to miss the World Championship in Las Vegas.The 32-year-old grappler has recovered now and has impressed in the PWL. He beat current World silver medalist Navruzov Ikhtiyor of Uzbekistan in 65kg category.

The men's team showed considerable heart, winning bronze at the Hockey World League Final in Raipur recently, but they have to be more consistent in order to have any chance of winning a medal in Rio.

Apurvi Chandela, 22, is easily amongst India's brightest medal prospects. The rifle shooter enjoyed significant success this year, winning bronze at the Changwon World Cup and followed it up with silver at the Munich World Cup Finals.

Jitu Rai did not show the form in 2015 that won him several gold medals in 2014. But still the pistol shooter remains India's best bet for a medal.

Abhinav Bindra may not have won much since his CWG gold in Glasgow. But the Beijing gold medallist is working hard for a podium finish.

Inderjit won gold at the Asian Championships earlier this year, and although the Olympics will prove to be a different ball game, the 27-year-old from Punjab will be keen to put up a commendable show in Rio.

The Indian team led by Deepika Kumari went to the London Games in 2012 carrying a billion hopes, but bowed out pretty meekly. They get another shot at redemption eight months from now.

Indian golf's poster boy has had a stellar season where he won two European Tour titles and reached a career-high 33 in World Rankings. He represented India in the Presidents Cup and became the fourth Indian to clinch the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown recently. Can he fetch India her first Olympic medal in golf?

Deepika signalled her return to form by earning an Olympic quota place this July, courtesy a recurve team silver in the Copenhagen World Championship. She also won an individual silver in the Mexico World Cup in October and a bronze in the mixed team event in the Asian Championship last month.

Sania Mirza's form this year has been the talking point of Indian tennis. She attained the No.1 ranking in women's doubles in April and has successfully maintained her position on top winning the US Open and Wimbledon with partner Martina Hingis. The 29-year-old will be India's best bet with either Rohan Bopanna or Leander Paes.

After an indifferent showing last year, Saina bounced back in style winning the silver in the All England Championships in Birmingham and the World Championships in Jakarta, a first by an Indian shuttler. Saina would be keen to do better than her bronze medal-winning effort at the London Games.

The 20-year-old re-established herself as one of the top shuttlers in the world after clinching a hat-trick of Macau Open crowns. Sindhu's biggest win came during the Denmark Open Super Series when she defeated World No. 1 Carolina Marin of Spain. She will be the one to bank upon in the women's singles.