Sports

After Sanju Samson’s match-defining 89 powered India to victory in the ICC T20 World Cup final, the spotlight turned to the man who shaped his journey — his father, Samson Viswanath.

A teacher, former delivery partner, and now a national silver medallist — Mayabhai Bhammar wears many hats. The Gujarat para athlete won silver at the 23rd Senior National Para Powerlifting Championship 2025–26, strengthening his dream of winning gold for India.

From Jeremy Bujakowski in 1964 to Arif Mohammad Khan in 2022, explore the Indian athletes who left their mark on Winter Olympics history.

Anushka Munda learnt football on uneven village ground, carried family responsibility early, and now scores under international floodlights. Her journey shows how belief and grassroots support shape young sporting talent.

After decades of farm work and family responsibilities, Pani Devi Godara began training in her nineties. Today, she continues to compete on the track and bring home gold medals.

Before the medal moment in Paris, there were years of routine, restraint, and resolve in Panipat. This is how Navdeep Singh Sheoran built a journey that led him to the top of global para-athletics.

Hailing from Prayagraj, Abhinav Sinha started Chance2Sports in Pune with one belief: talent should never depend on money or postcode. The system he built from there now supports young squash players across India.

Her journey began on a school track and led her through lockdowns, injuries, and doubt. With every hurdle cleared, Jyothi Yarraji moved closer to her dream, rewriting Indian athletics along the way.

At 19, a medical diagnosis forced Devaki Dhar to step away from the track she loved. Months later, she returned with a new way of training, thinking, and listening to her body, and ran a race she never thought possible again.

From packed stadiums to frozen lakes and backyard training grounds, Indian athletes created moments in 2025 that stayed with us. These 10 stories capture the wins, firsts and breakthroughs that reshaped how India watched sport.