India has a rich history of competing in sports, and there are some famous women making competition so exciting. Their strong belief in dreams and never-failing-attitude have made them capable of leaving a trail for others. Below are some of the best Indian female athletes in the world, and many of them have represented India in the Olympics.
PT Usha
PT Usha is a retired Indian track and field athlete. She has been associated with Indian athletics since 1979. She is often called the 'queen of Indian track and field'. Usha's best moment came at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In the 1985 Jakarta Asian Championships, Usha won six medals - five gold and one bronze. She set a record in the process for most gold medals won at a single event in the history of the championships. Usha has won 101 international medals. She is employed as an officer in the Southern Railways. In 1984, she was conferred the Padma Shri and the Arjuna Award. Currently, she coaches young athletes at her training academy in Kerala.
Mary Kom
Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte, better known as Mary Kom, is an Indian Olympic boxer from Manipur. She is the only woman to become World Amateur Boxing champion for a record six times, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the seven world championships. Nicknamed Magnificent Mary, she is the only Indian woman boxer to have qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics, competing in the flyweight (51 kg) category and winning the bronze medal. She had also been ranked as No. 1 AIBA World Women's Ranking Light Flyweight category. She became the first Indian woman boxer to get a Gold Medal in the Asian Games in 2014 at Incheon, South Korea and is the first Indian woman boxer to win gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Mary Kom won the Gold Medal In Asian Boxing Championship. She defeated Kim Hyang-mi of North Korea in the title match. Kom is an animal rights activist and supporter of PETA India.
PV Sindhu
Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is an Indian professional badminton player. She became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal, and one of the two Indian badminton players to ever win an Olympic medal – the other being Saina Nehwal. Sindhu won silver in Women's singles at Commonwealth Games 2018. She was also a silver medalist at the 2017 BWF World Championships and 2018 BWF World Championships consecutively. She was also a silver medalist in Asian Games 2018, which were held in Indonesia. Sindhu came to international attention when she broke into the top 20 of the BWF World Ranking in September 2012 at the age of 17. In 2013, she became the first ever Indian women's singles player to win a medal at the Badminton World Championships. In March 2015, she is the recipient of India's fourth highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri. She is among the top five shuttlers in women's singles category. In 2018, she became the first Indian to have clinched the World Tour title defeating Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in the 2018 World Tour final.
Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza is an Indian professional tennis player. A former world No 1 in the doubles discipline, she has won six Grand Slam titles in her career. From 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, she was ranked by the WTA as India's No 1 player in both the categories. Throughout her career, Sania has established herself as the most successful female Indian tennis player ever and one of the highest-paid and high-profile athletes in the country. She is the highest-ranked female player ever from India, peaking at world No. 27 in singles in mid-2007. In addition, she is the third Indian woman in the Open Era to feature and win a round at a Grand Slam tournament, and the first to reach the second week. She has also won a total of 14 medals (including 6 gold) at three major multi-sport events, namely the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Afro-Asian Games. Mirza was named one of the '50 Heroes of Asia' by Time in October 2005. In March 2010, The Economic Times named Sania in the list of the '33 women who made India proud". She was appointed as the UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia during the event held to mark the International Day To End Violence Against Women on 25 November 2013. She was named in Time magazine's 2016 list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Saina Nehwal
Saina Nehwal is an Indian professional badminton singles player. A former world No 1, she has won over 24 international titles, which include eleven Superseries titles. Although she reached the world's 2nd in 2009, it was only in 2015 that she was able to attain the world No 1 ranking, thereby becoming the only female player from India and overall the second Indian player – after Prakash Padukone – to achieve this feat. She has represented India three times in the Olympics, winning a bronze medal in her second appearance. She is the only Indian to have won at least one medal in every BWF major individual event, namely the Olympics, the BWF World Championships, and the BWF World Junior Championships. She is the first Indian badminton player to have won an Olympic medal, along with being the only Indian to have won the BWF World Junior Championships or to have reached to the final of the BWF World Championships. In 2006, Nehwal became the first Indian female and the youngest Asian to win a 4-star tournament. Considered one of the most successful Indian sportspersons, she is credited for increasing the popularity of badminton in India. In 2016, the Government of India (GoI) conferred the Padma Bhushan – India's third highest civilian award – on her. Previously, the nation's top two sporting honours, namely the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award, were also conferred on her by the Government of India. Nehwal is a philanthropist and was ranked 18th on the list of most charitable athletes.
Cardi B appeared at Schiaparelli’s Autumn 2025 couture show in Paris holding a live crow on her arm.
Her dramatic black gown was designed by Daniel Roseberry, Schiaparelli’s creative director.
The surreal look paid tribute to Elsa Schiaparelli’s legacy of theatrical, boundary-pushing fashion.
The show marked a shift in Roseberry’s aesthetic, away from corsetry towards freer silhouettes.
Paris Couture Week opened on a dramatic note this year as Cardi B made a startling entrance at the Petit Palais wearing a black Schiaparelli gown, with a live crow perched on her arm. The rapper’s appearance outside the venue sent photographers scrambling as the bird flapped and squawked, setting the tone for a show rooted in tension, elegance, and surrealism.
The outfit, crafted by Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli’s Autumn 2025 collection, featured graphic fringe and a towering beaded neckline. But it was the crow, alive, glaring, and restless, that stole the spotlight, embodying the fashion house’s long-standing obsession with the unexpected.
The rapper wears a custom black Schiaparelli gown with graphic fringeInstagram Screengrab/lamodemagazine__
Schiaparelli’s black-and-white show channels wartime escape
Daniel Roseberry’s collection wasn’t just about visual shock; it was grounded in history. He revealed that the show’s core inspiration came from a pivotal moment in 1940 when founder Elsa Schiaparelli fled Nazi-occupied Paris for New York. Presented entirely in black and white, the designs rejected colour in favour of texture and silhouette. There were sweeping gowns, sharply tailored jackets, and kinetic details like fluttering antique ribbons.
Roseberry softens past silhouettes in evolution of couture
For several seasons, Schiaparelli had leaned heavily on exaggerated corsetry and hyper-stylised silhouettes. But this time, Roseberry stepped away from constrictive forms, embracing movement and elasticity instead. The change didn’t abandon the house’s legacy; it evolved it.
He explored sculptural tailoring and architectural draping without sacrificing comfort. Dresses curved like metallic sculptures, while others rippled with unexpected softness. It was a visual and conceptual shift that resonated with Schiaparelli’s ethos: fashion as fantasy, but not without feeling.
A decade after relaunch, Schiaparelli still thrives on surprise
Since its revival ten years ago, Schiaparelli has become a fixture on red carpets and carved out commercial space in a notoriously unstable couture market. But it remains a house driven by risk. The crow, flapping and unpredictable, wasn’t just a gimmick; it was a signal that Schiaparelli still knows how to stir conversation.
The show’s setting, the Petit Palais, also featured a timely exhibit on Charles Worth, the British designer widely credited with creating modern haute couture. That parallel between the origins of the craft and its avant-garde future gave the moment added weight.
Outside of fashion, Cardi B’s personal life remains a topic of fan speculation. While she recently went Instagram-official with NFL star Stefon Diggs, followers have noticed she’s deleted photos of them. Diggs also removed a recent post featuring Cardi, though older ones remain. Both still follow each other on Instagram, leaving fans to wonder if the relationship is over or simply on pause. Cardi hasn’t publicly addressed the status of the romance.
Cardi B and Stefon Diggs cozy up on a yacht during Memorial Day weekend in Miami Instagram/iamcardib
With her upcoming album Am I the Drama? set for release on 19 September, some believe she’s focusing on her music. Until then, moments like her crow-clad appearance ensure she stays at the centre of pop culture’s most unpredictable intersections.
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Kareena Kapoor joins growing criticism of Prada’s uncredited use of Indian design
Kareena Kapoor posted a cheeky Instagram Story flaunting Kolhapuri chappals, saying, “Sorry not Prada... but my OG Kolhapuri.”
Her post follows outrage over Prada’s ‘toe-ring sandals’ resembling the Indian Kolhapuri design.
A PIL has been filed in the Bombay High Court against Prada for unauthorised use of the Kolhapuri style without credit.
Prada acknowledged the inspiration and agreed to meet Indian artisans for dialogue.
Kareena Kapoor took a subtle yet sharp swipe at luxury fashion label Prada amid growing controversy around its recently launched ‘toe-ring sandals’, a design that closely mirrors India’s traditional Kolhapuri chappals. Without naming the brand, Kareena shared a photo of her feet in silver Kolhapuri slippers during her London vacation and captioned it: “Sorry not Prada... but my OG Kolhapuri ❤️.”
The actor’s post struck a chord with many online, surfacing just days after Prada came under fire for allegedly copying the Kolhapuri design without acknowledgment.
Kareena Kapoor’s Instagram story adds to outrage over copied Indian footwearGetty Images
Kareena Kapoor’s post adds star power to cultural debate
The Singham Again star’s Instagram Story went viral, especially because it appeared to be a quiet yet firm statement against cultural appropriation. In her photo, she kept her face out of the frame and focused entirely on the chappals, which had a metallic finish.
While Kareena didn’t directly name Prada, the timing and wording made her intent obvious. Her post came amid mounting anger over the Italian fashion house’s alleged failure to credit Indian artisans for the traditional design showcased at the Prada Men’s Spring/Summer 2026 show in Milan.
Kareena Kapoor flaunts her Kolhapuri chappals in a vacation photoInstagram screengrab/ kareenakapoorkhan
Public interest litigation filed in Bombay High Court
The controversy took a legal turn when a group of lawyers specialising in intellectual property filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court. Led by Advocate Ganesh S Hingmire, the petition accused Prada of unauthorised commercialisation of the GI-tagged Kolhapuri chappal design.
The plea demands that Prada and its Indian subsidiary issue a public apology, acknowledge the cultural origins of the design, and commit to avoiding uncredited use of any future GI-tagged products. The petition also seeks financial compensation for the artisan communities whose work was allegedly used without permission.
Kolhapuri chappals have been crafted for centuries and received GI tag in 2019 iStock
Prada admits ‘inspiration’ and plans dialogue with Indian artisans
Following the backlash, Prada issued a statement acknowledging that the sandals featured in their collection were “inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear with a centuries-old heritage.” Lorenzo Bertelli, the group’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, said the brand would initiate dialogue with artisans through a virtual meeting set for 11 July.
The meeting will include members of the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA), who are advocating on behalf of local artisans. There are discussions underway about a possible collaboration aimed at bringing the Kolhapuri craft to the global market with proper recognition and benefit to Indian creators.
Kareena isn’t the only celebrity calling out the fashion giant. Veteran actor Neena Gupta also weighed in with a video of her own cherished pair of Kolhapuri chappals, gifted by late actor Laxmikant Berde. In her caption, she quipped, “Real toh real hota hai,” reinforcing the sentiment that authenticity can’t be faked or rebranded.
All these posts reflect a growing call to credit Indian craftsmanship appropriately, especially as global brands often borrow from regional traditions without proper recognition or benefits to local communities.
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Garfield and Barbaro twin in Ralph Lauren for their most public appearance yet
Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro stepped out in matching Ralph Lauren looks at Wimbledon 2025.
The couple shared affectionate moments courtside, including hand-holding and a cheek kiss.
They were first linked romantically in February after being spotted at a London play.
The pair may reunite on screen in Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film Artificial.
Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro made their most public appearance yet as a couple on Sunday, arriving hand-in-hand at Wimbledon 2025 in coordinated white ensembles and sharing subtle yet sweet moments of affection. The actors, who were first rumoured to be dating in February, looked completely in sync as they entered the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 6 July. Dressed in matching Ralph Lauren outfits, the two smiled for cameras and appeared relaxed throughout the day.
Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro arrive hand in hand at Wimbledon in all whiteInstagram/voguemagazine
Stylish Wimbledon appearance draws attention
Garfield, known for The Amazing Spider-Man, and Top Gun: Maverick star Barbaro sat near Maude Apatow, Charithra Chandran, and Matthew Broome in the VIP area. Fans and onlookers caught glimpses of the pair laughing, chatting, and sharing a quiet kiss on the cheek, a rare public display from Garfield, who’s known for fiercely guarding his privacy.
While they’ve been spotted together multiple times since February, including Hollywood events and casual outings, Wimbledon marked the first time they appeared to fully embrace their couple status in front of the public eye.
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Romance rumours started earlier this year
The two were first linked after attending a theatre performance in London in February. A source later confirmed to People that they were indeed dating. Since then, they’ve kept their relationship largely under wraps, choosing not to comment publicly. In May, speculation intensified after both attended events in New York around the same time. While Barbaro walked the Met Gala red carpet solo, Garfield was reportedly waiting for her at The Mark Hotel nearby.
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Possible on-screen collaboration in Artificial
Adding to the buzz, Deadline recently reported that Garfield and Barbaro are in talks to star together in Artificial, a new film by Challengers director Luca Guadagnino. When asked about the project during the premiere of her Netflix action-comedy series FUBAR in June, Barbaro stayed tight-lipped but called Guadagnino “one of my favourite directors.”
Pressed specifically about working with Garfield, she laughed and added, “I’m excited to work with the whole cast. It’s going to be a great time.” The statement, while vague, only fuelled anticipation for a joint screen appearance.
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Garfield maintains stance on privacy
Despite the public display at Wimbledon, Garfield has consistently drawn boundaries around his personal life. In a 2024 interview, the Oscar-nominated actor reiterated his stance, saying, “I have never, and I won’t ever, speak about or confirm or deny anything about my personal life with anyone, ever.”
He echoed the same sentiment in a 2021 interview, where he spoke about protecting his “right to be ordinary… to get it wrong, to be stupid, to be a person.”
The Hollywood pair appear relaxed and close at Wimbledon 2025Instagram/voguemagazine
What’s next for the couple?
While the Wimbledon appearance suggests Garfield and Barbaro are growing more comfortable being seen together, they’re keeping things on their terms. Professionally, both have packed schedules. Garfield is set to return to the screen in After the Hunt, which hits cinemas on 10 October. Meanwhile, Barbaro will appear in the crime thriller Crime 101 alongside Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, slated for release in February 2026.
Whether or not Artificial brings the real-life couple together on screen remains to be seen. But for now, Wimbledon has served as their soft launch, and fans are here for it.
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Rishab Shetty battles through flames in new Kantara Chapter 1 poster
Kantara: Chapter 1, the much-awaited prequel to the 2022 blockbuster, releases in cinemas on 2 October 2025.
Poster unveiled on Rishab Shetty’s 42nd birthday shows him in an intense warrior avatar.
The film explores the divine origins of Panjurli and Guliga, expanding the Kantara mythology.
Massive action sequences filmed with 3,000 participants over 50 days make it one of India’s biggest productions.
Rishab Shetty gave fans a fierce first glimpse into Kantara: Chapter 1 on his 42nd birthday, unveiling a new poster that shows him in full warrior mode. The upcoming prequel to the 2022 Kannada hit Kantara is now officially set to release on 2 October 2025. Directed and headlined once again by Shetty, the film is expected to dive deep into the spiritual and mythological roots of the original story.
Shetty returns to direct and lead the Kantara prequel
Following the resounding success of Kantara, Rishab Shetty returns to both direct and star in the film’s prequel. Titled Kantara: Chapter 1, the film will trace the origin story of the forest deity Panjurli and its protector Guliga, diving into the lore that shaped the mystical world introduced in the original. The new poster shows Shetty charging through fire, shield pierced with arrows, eyes blazing, and axe in hand, a visual that has already sparked frenzied reactions online.
Fans have flooded social media with praise and speculation, with hashtags like #KantaraChapter1 trending across platforms. Many described the poster as “goosebump-inducing,” while others celebrated Shetty’s birthday by calling him “the pride of Kannada cinema.”
Kantara poster (Image Source: X) Print-160
Massive battle sequence shot with 3,000 people
The makers have spared no effort in scaling up the cinematic experience. One of the biggest highlights of Kantara: Chapter 1 is an elaborate war sequence shot over 45–50 days on a 25-acre set. The sequence involved more than 500 trained fighters and over 3,000 participants, making it one of the most ambitious action scenes ever filmed in Indian cinema. Both Indian and international stunt experts collaborated on the project, ensuring the sequence lives up to the mythology it portrays.
Todor Lazarov, who choreographed action scenes in RRR, has been roped in to design the stunts. The crew, however, faced challenges during production, including accidents, floods, and even the tragic deaths of two cast members, Kalabhavan Niju and Rakesh Poojary, due to health issues earlier this year.
Hombale Films announces multilingual global release
Produced by Vijay Kiragandur under the Hombale Films banner, the studio behind hits like KGF and Salaar, Kantara: Chapter 1 will release in seven languages: Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, and English. The team is aiming for a global reach, banking on the spiritual intensity and regional depth that made the first film a crossover success.
The original Kantara won multiple awards, including National Awards for Best Actor and Best Sound Design. It was praised for its storytelling rooted in coastal Karnataka’s Bhoota Kola tradition. The prequel promises to build on that legacy with even greater visual ambition and cultural depth.
While detailed plot points are under wraps, Kantara: Chapter 1 will focus on the spiritual foundations of the first film’s mythology. The teaser and trailer are expected to drop later this year, and with fans already counting down to the 2 October release, anticipation is sky-high.
The film’s music is composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, and cinematography is by Arvind S. Kashyap. Actor Jisshu Sengupta also joins the cast in a pivotal role. With its mix of mysticism, action, and cultural storytelling, Kantara: Chapter 1 is poised to be one of the most awaited films of 2025.
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Zayn Malik shares a moody preview of his upcoming song Fuchsia Sea
Zayn Malik previewed a new track, Fuchsia Sea, on Instagram, touching on racism he experienced during his One Direction years.
“They still laughed at the Asian,” he raps, alluding to feeling othered despite success.
Malik was the only South Asian member of the band, which included Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and the late Liam Payne.
The track marks a rare public reflection on the racial dynamics behind his 2015 departure from the group.
Zayn Malik is turning to music to process the discrimination he says he experienced during his time with One Direction. On Saturday, 5 July, the 32-year-old singer previewed a raw and emotional rap song titled Fuchsia Sea, sharing a clip and lyrics on Instagram that many fans believe directly address racism he faced as the only South Asian member of the global boy band.
In the verse, Malik raps: “I worked hard in a White band, and they still laughed at the Asian.” The line immediately sparked intense conversation online, with listeners pointing out how it echoed long-suspected tensions about racial identity and representation during his tenure in One Direction.
Zayn Malik attends the Off-White fashion show during the September 2024 Getty Images
Zayn Malik lyrics reference race and exclusion
The lyrics Malik shared are among his most direct yet, touching on themes of alienation, generational struggle, and identity. In Fuchsia Sea, he paints a picture of emotional burden and resilience, rapping:
“Got my back against the wall so much they think I got a brick fascination... I’m a convert to the concert, and I did that for inflation… Left a blue mark on a white flag, then used blood for their painting.”
While Malik has previously opened up about mental health and needing space from fame, this is one of the first times he has publicly linked his departure from One Direction to experiences of racism and marginalisation. The lyrics suggest that while he contributed to the band’s global rise, he often felt side-lined because of his ethnicity.
Zayn Malik on InstagramInstagram screengrab
Fans rally around Malik’s message
The track preview struck a chord particularly with South Asian fans, many of whom have long felt that Malik’s race was glossed over during One Direction’s peak. Online reactions ranged from gratitude to reflection, with many calling the lyrics “long overdue” and “painfully relatable.”
For British Asian listeners, Malik’s words were especially significant, as representation in mainstream Western pop music remains rare. “He said what we’ve been feeling for years,” one user wrote on X. “Zayn’s experience mirrors what so many of us go through in workplaces that were never built for us.”
Fans react to Zayn Malik's song Twitter Screengrab
Reflecting on One Direction and Liam Payne’s passing
Malik’s musical revelation arrives just months after he revisited his boy band roots. During a March concert in Mexico City, he performed Night Changes, a One Direction song, for the first time in a decade. The performance was emotionally charged, with Malik telling the crowd: “I almost cried.”
Later that year, Malik reunited with Styles, Tomlinson, and Horan at Liam Payne’s funeral in November 2024, their first public appearance as a group since he left in 2015. Payne passed away unexpectedly at 31. Malik had previously honoured Payne at a show by dedicating his solo ballad It’s You to his late bandmate.
Former One Direction band member Zayn Malik leaves following the funeral of singer Liam PayneGetty Images
Fuchsia Sea marks a turning point for Zayn Malik
Though the full track is yet to be released, Fuchsia Sea signals a more personal and unfiltered direction in Malik’s music. It’s a clear departure from his earlier solo work, which leaned heavily into R&B and pop.
This time, the focus isn’t fame or relationships, but identity. And by addressing his past with unflinching honesty, Malik seems ready to reclaim his voice on his own terms.
One Direction Band members Getty Images
Whether Fuchsia Sea becomes a viral hit or not, it has already succeeded in sparking long-overdue conversations about race, fame, and belonging in the pop world.