Delhi's Athlete's

Delhi athletes to represent the state and country is an unquenchable one.From cricket to table tennis, the city and state have produced some of the finest athletes this country has ever seen. So let’s have a look at Delhi’s greatest athletes –

1. Sushil Kumar (WRESTLING)


From Najafgarh in Delhi, Kumar is probably one of the finest ever individual athletes the country has ever produced. Sushil Kumar kicked off his international wrestling career in style, winning the bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

2. Yuki Bhambri (TENNIS)

Bhambri is definitely one of the best tennis players that Delhi abd India has ever produced. A former World no. 1, he shot into fame in 2009, after winning the Junior Australian Open. The victory made him the fourth ever Indian to capture a Junior singles Grand Slam title.

3. Virender Sehwag (CRICKET)

Pretty sure the man needs no introduction also known as the Nawab of Najafgarh, Sehwag made his debut for India in 1999. Sehwag’s batting prowess set the cricketing world alight. He holds several records in cricket as well. Sehwag has the highest score by an Indian in Test Cricket (319), the same innings saw him make the fastest triple century in history as well (278 balls).

4. Neha Aggarwal

India’s only female Table Tennis representative at the 2008 Olympics, Neha Aggarwal has been a picture of consistency in the Women’s table tennis circuit in India. After winning the Junior National event four times, Aggarwal graduated to the International level with relative ease, securing the gold medal at the Commonwealth Junior Championship. She ended her junior career ranked 18 in the world.

5. Joginder singh (HOCKEY)

Singh was part of the National Hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. Nicknamed ‘Gindi’, he generally played down the right wing position and was known for his electric pace. Apart from the gold medal, Singh also won the silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. After retiring from the sport, he went on to become a Sports Officer with the Bengal –Nagpur railway. He passed away aged 63, due to a protracted kidney illness. 

6. Tania Sachdev (CHESS)

In 2005, Tania Sachdev became only the eighth Indian woman to garner the tag of Grand Master. She also won the 2006 and 2007 National Championship, before winning the Asian Chess Championship in 2008. Apart from her domestic and continental success, Sachdev won the bronze medal in the 2012 Istanbul Chess Olympiad held in Turkey.

7. Indu Puri (TABLE TENNIS)

The highest ever ranked women’s table tennis player in India, Puri reached a career-high of 63 in 1985, which would mean that she would also break into the top 10 of Asia. Puri also became the first ever India to defeat a World Champion in North Korea’s Park Yung-Sun. Puri, who was born in Kolkata shifted base to New Delhi to cure her chronic asthma problem. She never looked back from there, representing India in six different World Table Tennis Championships. She was also a part of the 2008 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Selection Committee. 

8. Virat Kohli (CRICKET)

The poster boy of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli has been a revelation for not just Indian cricket, but also International cricket. Kohi made his debut in 2008 and has not looked back since. He did not make his test debut till 2011. A true leader, he also captained the National team in the last tour down under. Kohli has several records under his belt, including the fastest century by an Indian batsmen in ODI’s and also the fastest cricketer. Kohli’s performances and leadership qualities have exemplified what Delhi is all about.