Sportstar Aces Awards 2026: Rani Rampal, Manika Batra, Tania Sachdev win Award of Excellence

Indian chess stalwart Tania Sachdev, table tennis star Manika Batra, and former India women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal were honoured with the Award of Excellence at the Sportstar Aces Awards 2026 in Mumbai on Friday, recognising their enduring influence on Indian sport across three different disciplines.

Chess great and Sportstar jury member Viswanathan Anand and R. Doraisamy, Managing Director and CEO of Life Insurance Corporation of India, presented the awards.

For more than a decade and a half, Tania has been one of the most recognisable faces of Indian women’s chess. A Women’s Grandmaster and FIDE International Master, she has represented India at numerous international competitions and won the Commonwealth Women’s Chess Championship three times. She was also part of the Indian women’s team that created history by winning gold at the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad.

Reflecting on the craft behind the sport, Tania spoke about the unseen labour that underpins success.

“Planning an endgame move against a seasoned player or explaining chess to an amateur, both have their challenges. At different points in our lives, different things become challenging.

When I was playing competitive chess until the 2024 Olympiad, I would say preparation as an athlete is the hardest part. That is the least glamorous phase because no one is watching you. But that preparation becomes the stepping stone to success.”

Tania’s influence has extended well beyond the chessboard. As a presenter and commentator, she has helped bring the intricacies of the game to a wider audience.

“Speaking of broadcasting, it is my second innings with the game. I feel privileged to call it my job now. And I definitely sleep better,” she said with a laugh.

Manika, meanwhile, has become one of the most prominent ambassadors of Indian table tennis on the global stage. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, she became the first Indian table tennis player to reach the round of 16 in the singles event, defeating France’s Prithika Pavade 4–0. Four years earlier, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, she had already broken new ground by becoming the first Indian woman paddler to reach the round of 32 in the singles competition.

Her achievements also include a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, a result that helped elevate the profile of table tennis in India.

Speaking at the ceremony, Manika reflected on a small ritual that connects her performance to a deeper sense of identity.

“Good evening. Thank you so much to Sportstar and the respected jury members for honouring me.

“Yes, as you mentioned, I love my country. And first of all, I am a girl who loves nail paint. But I also love my country, and that’s why I paint the Indian tricolour on my nails. When I play and look at it during my serves, seeing the tricolour motivates me.”

Rani’s journey mirrors the rise of Indian women’s hockey itself. One of the finest forwards to wear the national jersey, she retired from international hockey in 2024 after a career that produced 205 goals in 254 appearances. Having made her debut as a 14-year-old in 2008, she went on to captain India to a historic fourth-place finish at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Her tenure also saw India end a 13-year title drought at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup and claim a silver medal at the Asian Games. After stepping away from international play, Rani also served as interim head coach of the women’s team at Hockey India League franchise Soorma Hockey Club.

Looking back on her journey, Rani spoke about the obstacles she faced in pursuing the sport.

“An athlete is always an athlete. Recognition like this motivates us to do even better in the future. My journey was not simple. As a seven-year-old girl, in those days and in that society, saying that I wanted to play hockey was the biggest challenge. But when I look back today, those challenges were worth it. They taught me a lot.”

Rani also reflected on the impact of the team that competed in Tokyo.

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“I never imagined that one day I would lead India at the Olympic Games. I am really proud of all the girls I played with at the Olympics. That team inspired girls from every nook and corner of the country.”

Her contributions to Indian sport have been widely recognised with honours including the Arjuna Award, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award and the Padma Shri.

Reflecting on the broader transformation of women’s sport in India, Tania noted how dramatically opportunities have expanded.

“When I started playing chess about 15 years ago, the opportunities, tournaments and support systems were very different. There has never been a better time than today to dream of playing for the country. I had my first Grandmaster training camp at 19, whereas youngsters today are getting that exposure at nine.”

Rani, meanwhile, emphasised the need for stronger structural support systems for women athletes.

“I was in the UK recently, where 25 women from across the world had gathered. I was amazed to see how they support women athletes there. One athlete had a four-month-old baby, and another had a two-and-a-half-year-old. They brought their children along, and administrators were even holding the kids and telling the athletes to focus on their game.

“If we can create that culture in India too, where even after marriage or having a child, women are encouraged to continue their sporting careers, it will help them take their talent forward and bring real change in society,” she said.

Manika echoed similar sentiments, pointing to the growing support and visibility for women athletes in India and the expanding possibilities for the next generation.

Published on Mar 13, 2026