Published: February 10, 2025 --"By the spring of 2020, the world of women’s sport had been steadily gaining ground in India. Medal tallies had been totting up over recent years, sports participation was diversifying and women’s individual stories of dedication were being heard in sports circles around the country. But there was a problem.

The stories of inspiration and sporting excellence weren’t being told enough in the media and as a result awareness of such demonstrations of strength and skill were going below the radar.

India needed a platform to cover the achievements of women to the degree that their male counterparts were receiving coverage.

It was then that an idea was born to bring the world of media and sport together. To showcase the best of India’s sportswomen and the stories of courage, perseverance and determination.

To underpin our approach, back in 2020, we conducted research across India to understand why there are certain states which produced a substantial number of women athletes compared to others and the societal attitude towards women in sports. The findings were a revelation. The correlation went some way to explaining why there were fewer women in sports in India.

The BBC broke new ground when we named five women who had been outstanding in their field and made them the centre of the story. We profiled the individual’s, their sports and their sporting achievements – elevating the conversation and bringing a new level of understanding for what it meant to be a woman in sport.

Since then, more broadly, we have made a conscious effort to cover women in sports, their issues and challenges, and their inspiring journeys.

To say that Indian Sportswoman of the Year has changed the landscape for women’s sport in India would be an understatement. As we have championed sportswomen and inspired women and girls around the country and the world, we made a real impact with greater coverage across the wider media and starting conversations on socials.

A lot has changed. Women's professional sports revenues have seen a 300% increase globally since 2021, there has been a 49% increase in women athletes participating in the Asian Games, and a 12% rise in the number of women competing in the Para Asian Games between 2018 and 2023.

Of course, we cannot take responsibility for this dramatic shift globally, but the award and the enhanced coverage has played a notably strong role, particularly in India.

Now in its fifth year, there are very few awards that shine a light on women’s sport to this extent. Broadening the awards to include even more remarkable sporting talent made perfect sense and from 2021 we introduced Emerging Player of the Year, with Parasports Woman of the Year joining in 2023.

While the growth in coverage has been both astonishing and a long time coming, there is more we can all do to amplify the story of women in sport.

For the BBC’s part, we will continue our commitment to Indian Sportswomen of the Year. To dedicate coverage to untold stories and celebrating extraordinary achievements.

This year, our theme for the awards is the Champion’s Champion. The coverage across our six Indian language services and in English will highlight those unsung heroes who have championed the medal-winners – believing and supporting them when all they had was potential and a dream. From those who spot talent amongst the underprivileged to those who provide funding, from supporters cheering from the sidelines to enablers who provide critical support to para athletes. The idea is to explore what support systems are needed to create champions in India.

Women athletes are gradually reshaping the landscape of sports in India, but their journey is ongoing. Their success is not just a reflection of their talent, but of the larger societal change toward accepting and promoting women in all fields.

Globally, there has never been a better time to be a woman competing in sport. The story for women continues to change and we’re delighted to be showcasing it across our platforms.

Fiona Crack, Deputy Global Director, BBC News

Rupa Jha, CEO, Collective Newsroom