Tababi devi

The 17-year old Tababi created history by winning India's first ever Olympic medal in Judo when she won the 44kg silver at the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina in October 2018. But before that, the daughter of a fish vendor mother and a labourer father had to come through a host of difficulties in her childhood, growing up in a small village in the North Eastern state of Manipur. She got introduced to the sport without her father's knowledge and would practice diligently in secret with the help of her older cousin. Eventually, she won medal and her father's approval, before being scouted by coaches at the Inspire Institute of Sport, where her talent has been nurtured by the IIS Judo program, which has helped her develop as a judoka and win multiple national and continental cadet gold medals. Through the program headed by Head Coach Mamuka Kizilashvili and Senior Coach Jiwan Sharma, Tababi has benefitted greatly by having constant support and access to dedicated support staff. This was especially helpful when she injured her elbow in training a couple of months before the Youth Olympic Games but was able to compete at full fitness having gone through a customized rehabilitation plan administered at IIS. While only 17 she has her eyes set on both the Asian and Junior World Championships this year, hopes to make history by bringing India a rare martial art Olympic medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

• Discipline Judo
• State Manipur
• Category Cadet