The 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu was crowned the 2021 BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award.
She surpassed many others like golfer Aditi Ashok, Para-shooter Avani Lekhara boxer Lovlina Borgohain, and badminton player PV Sindhu to win the award.
When Chanu placed second in the 49kg division in Tokyo, she became the first Indian weightlifter to earn a silver medal at the Olympics.
The nominations were selected by a group of India’s most authoritative trustworthy experts, where an online public vote was conducted to decide the winner.
Mirabai Chanu, born in Manipur, got her first major breakthrough at the Glasgow edition of the Commonwealth Games where she bagged a silver medal in the 48 kg weight category.
The BBC Emerging Player award was presented to cricketer Shafali Verma who is just 18-years-old.
BBC also presented retired Indian weightlifter Karnam Malleswari with the BBC Lifetime Achievement award.