Hima Das, Smriti Mandhana Make It To ‘Forbes India’s 30 Under 30’ List

Star sprinter Hima Das and top cricketer Smriti Mandhana, along with athlete vlogger Prajakta Koli and actor Vijay Deverakonda have made it to the ‘Forbes India 30 Under 30’ list this year. This is Forbes India's sixth edition featuring 30 young achievers in various fields like, sports, entertainment, marketing, entrepreneurship, etc.

While Hima has been appointed as the country’s first youth ambassador of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) India recently, Mandhana has moved up three spots to attain the number one rank in the updated ICC ODI batting rankings, released this week.

“The odds of success have little to do with whether you are 25 or 52. It’s just that starting early helps. And that’s why our 30 under 30 listing matters,” says Brian Carvalho, Editor, Forbes India. “Team Forbes India’s 30 under 30 package is our effort to celebrate the audacity and enterprise of India’s youngest and budding talent.”

Eighteen-year-old Hima hails from a small village in Dhing, Nagaon, Assam. Last year, she clinched a silver medal in the women’s 400m final of the Asian Games, clocking 50.79 seconds. Again the same year, Hima along with her teammates -- Mohd Anas, Poovamma and Arokia Rajiv -- bagged a silver in the 400m mixed relay. This is the first time the event debuted at the Asiad. The Indian team clocked three minutes and 15.71 seconds to finish behind Bahrain (3:11.89).

Hima had also won gold in 4x400m women’s relay at the last Asian Games and was among the 20 recipients of the prestigious Arjuna award this year

READ: Please Don’t Disturb, Hima Das Appeals To Fans After Asiad Loss

In July last year, Hima proved her mettle by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold at the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championships, in Tampere, Finland. During the track events, the sprinter earned India’s first-ever gold, clocking 51.46 seconds in the 400-metre women’s final.

Hima also showed a brilliant performance at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in April this year when she qualified for the final of the women’s 400m event, registering a personal best of 51.53 seconds timing. Thus she became the first Indian woman to qualify for an athletic track CWG final. Unfortunately, she finished sixth in the final.

Mandhana, on the other hand, has recently scored her fourth ODI century and an unbeaten 90 in the three-match series against New Zealand.

With her extraordinary run-scoring season, Smriti Mandhana is one cricketer who has steadily made a mark in women’s cricket. The batswoman is the first Indian to feature in England’s flagship T20 tournament for women. She scored an unbeaten 52 off 19 balls against Loughborough Lightning, creating a new record.

READ: Why Are Female Athletes Judged By Their Appearance?

22-year-old Mandhana is only the second Indian woman to win an International Cricket Council award, fast bowler Jhulan Goswami being the first one who was named as women’s player of the year in 2007

On her debut, Mandhana almost pulled off the fastest 50 in KSL’s history. She smashed as many as five sixes and three boundaries in that innings. Earlier in March last year, she smashed the fastest 50 ever scored by any Indian player in women’s T20I cricket. She achieved this in the opening innings against England in the third match of the women’s T20 tri-series at Brabourne Stadium.

Congrats to the feisty athletes!

Feature Image Credit: IAAF / Twitter

Read More Stories By Ria Das