Aditi (in frame) nominated for the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award for the second time
The BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year (ISWOTY) Award, now in its fifth edition, announced its five nominees for 2024, to celebrate and laud the exceptional achievements of Indian female athletes. Among the nominees is 3-time Olympian and 2023 Asian Games Silver Medallist Aditi Ashok, whose remarkable career continues to inspire and elevate the profile of women’s golf in India.
Aditi, 26, has made history as India’s most accomplished female golfer. She first gained global recognition at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where, at the age of 18, she became one of the youngest golfers to represent India. Ashok’s performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was a milestone for Indian golf as she finished fourth, narrowly missing a bronze medal, and recording India’s best-ever performance in Olympic golf. Despite falling short of a medal in Paris 2024, where she finished 29th, Aditi remains a strong contender in international golf.
Aditi became the first Indian female golfer to secure a victory on the Ladies European Tour (LET) and has since collected five LET titles. In addition, she has played eight consecutive seasons on the LPGA Tour, with 11 top-ten finishes, further cementing her place in the penultimate tour for women’s golf in the world.
Aditi also received one of India’s highest sports honors, the Arjuna Award, underscoring her impact on Indian golf. Her journey continues to inspire a new generation of golfers and women athletes across the country.
This nomination marks her second time being shortlisted for the prestigious BBC ISWOTY Award. She was previously nominated in the third edition of the award in 2022, when the title was claimed by Mirabai Chanu, the 2020 Olympic Silver Medalist in the Women’s 49 kg weightlifting category.
The BBC ISWOTY Award 2025 honors the achievements of women in Indian sports for the year 2024. Alongside Aditi, the nominees include Manu Bhaker, who became the first Indian to win two medals at an Olympics when she won 2 Bronze Medals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Double Paralympic Gold Medallist Avani Lekhara, 2024 BBC ISWOTY nominee Smriti Mandhana, who was part of the 2022 Asian Games Gold Medal-winning team, and 2-time Asian Games Medallist Vinesh Phogat.
Readers can vote for Aditi here, with the voting open until January 31, 2025, at 23:30 IST. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in New Delhi on February 17, 2025.