C. A. Bhavani Devi

Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi, known as C. A. Bhavani Devi, (born 27 August 1993), is an Indian sabre fencer. She became the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics after qualifying for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[1] She is supported by GoSports Foundation through the Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorship Programme.[2][3] She became the first Indian fencer to win a medal at the Asian Fencing Championships by winning the bronze medal the 2023 edition.[4][5]

C. A. Bhavani Devi
Personal information
Birth nameC. A. Bhavani Devi
Full nameChadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi
NationalityIndian
Born (1993-08-27) 27 August 1993
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Height168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight58 kg (128 lb)
Websitewww.bhavanidevi.com
Sport
CountryIndia
SportFencing
ClubKIIT (India)
Christian Bauer Academy (France)
TeamIndia
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking36
Medal record
Women's fencing
Representing  India
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – third place2023 WuxiIndividual
Commonwealth Championships
Gold medal – first place2018 CanberraIndividual
Gold medal – first place2022 LondonIndividual
Asian U23 Championships
Silver medal – second place2014 PhilippinesIndividual
Bronze medal – third place2015 MongoliaIndividual
Asian Junior And Cadet Championship
Bronze medal – third place2010 PhilippinesTeam
Commonwealth Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place2012 JerseyTeam
Bronze medal – third place2009 MalaysiaTeam
Bronze medal – third place2012 JerseyIndividual

Childhood and early career

Bhavani was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Her father belonged to a Telugu family from Samalkot town in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh who eventually moved to Chennai.[6] She started her sports career in 2004. She did her schooling at Muruga Dhanushkodi Girls Higher Secondary, Chennai and then attended the St. Joseph's College of Engineering, Chennai[7] and went on to complete Business Administration from Government Brennen College in Thalassery, Kerala.[8]

In 2004, she was introduced to fencing at school level.[9] After finishing class 10 she joined the SAI (Sports Authority of India) Centre in Thalassery, Kerala. At the age of 14 she appeared at her first international tournament in Turkey, where she got black card for being late by three minutes. In 2010 Asian Championship in the Philippines she bagged Bronze medal.[10]

Tournaments and medals

Starting from the Bronze medal at 2009 Commonwealth Championship held in Malaysia, Bhavani has won Bronze medals in 2010 International Open, Thailand; 2010 Cadet Asian Championship, Philippines; 2012 Common Wealth Championship, Jersey; 2015 Under-23 Asian Championship, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and 2015 Flemish Open. In 2014 Asian Championship under 23 category in the Philippines she bagged the Silver medal becoming the first Indian to do so.[11] After her successful 2014 Asian Championship Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa honoured her with INR three lakh as financial aid for training in the US.[12] In 2015, she became one of the 15 athletes selected 'Go Sports Foundation' for Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorship Programme.[13] She has received 2 Gold Medals, one each at the 2012 CommonWealth Championship, Jersey and the 2014 Tuscany Cup, Italy. She finished fifth in the Viking Cup 2016 Icelandic International Sabre Tournaments held at Reykjavik. She won a silver medal in the women's sabre individual category in the 2019 Tournoi Satellite Fencing Competition in Ghent, Belgium, after losing to Bashta Anna from Azerbaijan.[14][15] She made history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the senior Commonwealth Fencing Championship in Canberra in the sabre event. She beat Catriona Thomson from Scotland in the semi-finals and then defeated England's Emily Ruaux. She trains in Italy as well as at the Sports Authority of India in Thalassery, Kerala.[16]

In 2021, she competed at the Tokyo Olympics.[17]

As of April 2021, she ranks 42nd in the world[14] with 37.0 points.

Awards and rewards

• Arjuna Award (2021)[18]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to C. A. Bhavani Devi.
  1. "Tokyo Olympics 2021: Bhavani Devi becomes first Indian fencer to qualify for the Games". India Today. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  2. "Bhavani Devi becomes first Indian fencer to qualify for Olympics". The Hindu. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  3. Anirudh Menon (14 March 2021). "Bhavani Devi becomes first Indian fencer ever to qualify for Olympics". ESPN. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  4. "Bhavani Devi becomes first Indian fencer to win medal in Asian Championships, finishes with bronze". The Times of India. 19 June 2023.
  5. "Bhavani Devi wins bronze, becomes first Indian to win Asian Fencing C'ship medal". Sportstar. 19 June 2023.
  6. Adivi, Sashidhar (19 March 2021). "Fencing with destiny: Bhavani Devi". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  7. "Who is Bhavani Devi - The first Indian fencer to qualify for Olympics?". Olympics.com.
  8. "Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi". International Fencing Federation. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021.
  9. "Tamil Nadu fencer Bhavani talks about battling against the odds to succeed in a fledgling sport". Sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  10. Roshne B (13 April 2016). "Will a Fencer's Sabre Strike Gold?". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  11. Venugopal, Ashok (13 October 2014). "Sword of Bhavani Fetches Asian First". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  12. "Jaya announces sports scholarship, reward for students".
  13. "Go Sports Foundation Selected 15 athletes for Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorship Programme". Chennai Newz. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  14. "Tournoi Satellite Fencing: India's CA Bhavani Devi wins silver in sabre individual category after going down to Azerbaijan's Bashta Anna". Firstpost. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  15. Venkatesan, S. Prasanna. "Bhavani Devi clinches silver in Belgium meet". Sportstar. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  16. Kishore, M. Hari (24 November 2018). "Commonwealth fencing championship: Bhavani Devi wins gold". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  17. "Bhavani Devi, The First Indian Fencer to Qualify For The Olympics | The Quint". thequint.com. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  18. "National Sports Awards 2021 announced".
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