Collective Newsroom produces the annual BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year (ISWOTY) award, which honours India's finest sportswomen.
CNR managed and produced the fifth edition of the awards in 2025, with a special message from Indian President Droupadi Murmu who appreciated the "extraordinary athletes" and "the entire team of BBC for the praiseworthy initiative".
The awards ceremony, which was hosted by BBC Director-General Tim Davie in Delhi on 17 February 2025, was broadcast on BBC Indian languages platforms, BBC News India YouTube in English and was also covered by the BBC News Television Channel, BBC World Service, Radio4 and BBC Sport.
ISWOTY is the brainchild of BBC Indian Languages. The aim of the initiative is to shine a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of women who break stereotypes in the world of Indian sports.
It further aims to boost visibility of Indian sportswomen with prominent media coverage, which has traditionally been known to favour male athletes.
But more than anything, it is a platform for meaningful conversations about gender representation. We hope to drive positive change in the way women are perceived and portrayed in the Indian media.
