<p> Tokyo Olympic Games silver-medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has bagged the 2022 'BBC Indian Sportswoman Of The Year' award after a public vote.</p>.<p>The 28-year-old weightlifter from Manipur became the first athlete to win the award twice in a row after bagging it in 2021 as well.</p>.<p>At the Tokyo Games, she had become the first Indian to win a silver in the sport. Last year, she went on to secure gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She also won a silver medal at the World Weightlifting Championships in 2022.</p>.<p>"I am really excited and want to say that I will be working even harder for the forthcoming games and win more medals for India," said Chanu.</p>.<p>The other short-listed contenders for the award were wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, boxer Nikhat Zareen and badminton player PV Sindhu.</p>.<p>Table tennis player Bhavina Patel won the 'BBC Para Sportswoman of the Year' award, a category introduced this year.</p>.<p>She won a silver at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, becoming the first Indian paddler to achieve the feat. Bhavina also won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.</p>.<p>"It is indeed a gratifying feeling to win this prestigious award which is part of a wonderful initiative empowering women and sportspersons. It is also commendable to see BBC focusing on para sports and making India more inclusive," said Bhavina.</p>.<p>Former captain of the Indian women's hockey team Pritam Siwach was conferred with the 'BBC Lifetime Achievement Award' for her contribution to Indian sports and inspiring generations of players.</p>.<p>Siwach was the first woman hockey coach to be given the Dronacharya Award, the highest national award for coaches.</p>.<p>"This award has been conferred upon eminent sportswomen in the past three years. I was very happy to know that this year, I will be getting the award. The specialty of this award is that it is given to women. It motivates us when we get such awards," said Siwach.</p>.<p>Boxer Nitu Ghanghas was chosen as the 'BBC Emerging Player of the Year'. She is a two-time youth world champion and Commonwealth Games medallist. She won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the minimum weight category.</p>.<p>The women's lawn bowls team of Lovely Choubey, Rupa Rani Tirkey, Pinki and Nayanmoni Saikia, which won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games -- India's first-ever medal in the sport -- was given the 'BBC Changemaker of the Year Award'.</p>.<p>BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award was launched in 2019 to celebrate sportswomen in India who have made their mark on the world stage.</p>
<p> Tokyo Olympic Games silver-medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has bagged the 2022 'BBC Indian Sportswoman Of The Year' award after a public vote.</p>.<p>The 28-year-old weightlifter from Manipur became the first athlete to win the award twice in a row after bagging it in 2021 as well.</p>.<p>At the Tokyo Games, she had become the first Indian to win a silver in the sport. Last year, she went on to secure gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She also won a silver medal at the World Weightlifting Championships in 2022.</p>.<p>"I am really excited and want to say that I will be working even harder for the forthcoming games and win more medals for India," said Chanu.</p>.<p>The other short-listed contenders for the award were wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, boxer Nikhat Zareen and badminton player PV Sindhu.</p>.<p>Table tennis player Bhavina Patel won the 'BBC Para Sportswoman of the Year' award, a category introduced this year.</p>.<p>She won a silver at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, becoming the first Indian paddler to achieve the feat. Bhavina also won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.</p>.<p>"It is indeed a gratifying feeling to win this prestigious award which is part of a wonderful initiative empowering women and sportspersons. It is also commendable to see BBC focusing on para sports and making India more inclusive," said Bhavina.</p>.<p>Former captain of the Indian women's hockey team Pritam Siwach was conferred with the 'BBC Lifetime Achievement Award' for her contribution to Indian sports and inspiring generations of players.</p>.<p>Siwach was the first woman hockey coach to be given the Dronacharya Award, the highest national award for coaches.</p>.<p>"This award has been conferred upon eminent sportswomen in the past three years. I was very happy to know that this year, I will be getting the award. The specialty of this award is that it is given to women. It motivates us when we get such awards," said Siwach.</p>.<p>Boxer Nitu Ghanghas was chosen as the 'BBC Emerging Player of the Year'. She is a two-time youth world champion and Commonwealth Games medallist. She won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the minimum weight category.</p>.<p>The women's lawn bowls team of Lovely Choubey, Rupa Rani Tirkey, Pinki and Nayanmoni Saikia, which won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games -- India's first-ever medal in the sport -- was given the 'BBC Changemaker of the Year Award'.</p>.<p>BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award was launched in 2019 to celebrate sportswomen in India who have made their mark on the world stage.</p>