Published: February 11, 2026 at 1:48 pm
There was a time when people advised Deepthi Jeevanji’s parents to send her away. They mocked her appearance, questioned her future, and dismissed her potential before she had even discovered it herself. Today, those same lanes of doubt have given way to tracks of triumph, as Deepthi runs not just for medals — but for India.
“I used to run barefoot in school,” she said ahead of the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Awards 2025, reflecting on her childhood in Kalleda in the Warangal district of Telangana State. Running was never a strategy; it was instinct. What no one could have predicted then was that the girl racing across dusty school grounds would one day represent India on the international stage in the T20 400m category.
Deepthi’s story resonates with BBC theme
Deepthi’s story goes in tandem with the editorial theme of this year’s BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year — Every Body Can Play. Diagnosed with an intellectual disability at a young age, she grew up hearing whispers that she was “different.” For many families, such stigma can become a burden. For hers, it became a reason to believe harder. “If my parents had listened to what people said, I wouldn’t be here today,” Deepthi says. “They chose love over fear.”
“If my parents had listened to what people said, I wouldn’t be here today,” Telangana para-athlete Deepthi Jeevanji says. “They chose love over fear.” Pic: New Indian Express
Her turning point came when a school physical trainer spotted her speed. That spark convinced her family to let her train professionally in Hyderabad. It was a leap of faith, despite money being scarce. Belief proved stronger than hesitation. “When I sat in an aeroplane for the first time, I cried,” she recalls. “I never thought life would take me this far.”
International medals and recognition followed, and with it came respect. When she received the Arjuna Award, it was not just a personal honour; it was a statement. A young girl once told she was a burden had become a national inspiration. “The same people who mocked me now welcome me,” she says, without bitterness. “You don’t answer taunts with words. You answer with hard work.”
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At just 22, Deepthi’s ambitions are clear. She wants a Paralympic gold medal. She wants to build a house with a room where she can keep her medals. She wants to become a police officer. Dreams that once felt distant now feel deliberate.
Deepthi won the bronze medal at the 2024 Paralympics in the 400 metres T20 race. At the 2024 World Championships, she set a world record of 55.06s. She had previously set the Asian Para Games record in 2023. The Warangal girl broke the 55.12s record of Breanna Clark.
Diagnosed with an intellectual disability at a young age, Deepthi Jeevanji grew up hearing whispers that she was “different.” For many families, such stigma can become a burden. For hers, it became a reason to believe harder
The BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Awards 2025 will be hosted in New Delhi on February 16. The nominees are Divya Deshmukh (chess), Harmanpreet Kaur (cricket), Smriti Mandhana (cricket), Suruchi Singh (shooting) and Jyothi Yarraji (athletics).
The award honours the contributions of Indian sportswomen in 2025 and celebrates the achievements of all women involved in sport in the country. A panel selected by the BBC, including some of the most authoritative sports journalists, experts and writers across India, compiled the shortlist of five.
Paes, Anju Bobby and Deepa Malik in Grand Jury
For the first time, the winner will be decided by a ‘Grand Jury’ put together by the BBC and featuring former tennis player Leander Paes, ex-long jumper Anju Bobby George and Para-athlete Deepa Malik.
The BBC will also honour three other Indian sportswomen nominated by the jury:
BBC Para Sportswoman of the Year award – to highlight excellence in para-sports
BBC Emerging Player of the Year – to recognise the achievements of a young athlete
BBC Lifetime Achievement award – to celebrate a sports veteran for their unparalleled contribution to sports.
The BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award was established in 2019 to honour and celebrate the achievements of female athletes in India. Badminton player PV Sindhu was adjudged the inaugural winner, with world chess champion Koneru Humpy honoured in 2020. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu took the 2021 and 2022 awards, with shooter Manu Bhaker triumphant in 2024.
Athletes PT Usha and Anju Bobby George, weightlifter Karnam Malleswari, hockey player Pritam Siwach and cricketer Mithali Raj have been the previous winners of the Lifetime Achievement award.
Table tennis player Bhavina Patel and shooter Avani Lekhara have been the recipients of the BBC Indian Para-Sportswoman award.
Cricketer Shafali Varma, shooter Manu Bhaker and archer Sheetal Devi have been the recipients of BBC Emerging Player of the Year award.
