From Mirabai Chanu's magnificent win at the Weightlifting World Championships to yet another scintillating year for PV Sindhu, here are ESPN India's nominations for the Sportsperson of the Year (female).
PV Sindhu
What they did in 2017
For PV Sindhu, 2017 carried on in the same vein to her unprecedented Olympic silver medal-winning in 2016. The 22-year-old won two Superseries titles in India and Korea and finished runner-up in Hong Kong. She also won silver medals, falling just short of gold in two epic finals at the World Championships and the World Superseries Finals in Dubai. It was a run of form that saw her rise to a career-high World Number 2.
In their own words
"I want to do better than last year. As a player you have to evolve and can't sit on your past records. There are many things that have changed from the way I played when I won my first world championship medal in 2013 and the way I played in 2017."
- Sindhu on her year
Mirabai Chanu
What they did in 2017
Mirabai Chanu ended a two-decade-plus wait for India, lifting 85 kg in snatch and 109 kg in clean and jerk for an impressive 194 kg total in the 48 kg category for a World weightlifting gold medal. It became the new national record. She also became only the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleshwari (in 1994 &1995) to win a gold medal at the world meet.
In their own words
"I was thinking day and night about how to get things right. I even thought of giving up the sport and stopping training. But I decided to try to do better because that's the only way to stop people from talking. It was the only way to get over the hurt."
- Mirabai on getting over the Rio Olympics disappointment
Aditi Ashok
What they did in 2017
19-year-old Aditi Ashok became the first Indian golfer to qualify for the LPGA Tour Championships in November last year. One among eight rookies to make the season-ending championships, Aditi had impressed with a top-10 finish and starts at all five Majors. She made the cut in 13 of the 20 events on the LPGA last year with tied 8th at Marathon Classic being her best result. She also made a triumphant return to the Ladies European Tour (LET), picking up her third title in 12 months, the Fatima Bin Mubarak Ladies Open. In her rookie year on the LET in 2016, she had two wins and seven top-ten finishes in the 13 events she participated in.
What they said
"When I was 12 years old, I didn't want to compete with the under-13s, I just wanted to go and compete with the under-18s. It was a case of always trying to be one step ahead because I wanted to challenge myself."
- Aditi on finding the LPGA Tour more challenging than the LET because of its stronger and deeper field
Saina Nehwal
What they did in 2017
After missing most of the latter half of 2016 with a career-threatening knee injury, Saina Nehwal remained a force to contend with on the women's circuit in 2017. While she did not set the Superseries circuit alight, she won the bronze medal at the World Championships, where she lost to eventual champion Nozomi Okuhara in the semis. She also regained the National Championships after a thrilling win against PV Sindhu in the final.
In their own words
"My fighting spirit was quite good, and even I am surprised by how I played today. I think I played my 100 percent today."
- Saina, after her win in the final of the Nationals
Rani Rampal
What they did in 2017
Rani Rampal started 2017 by playing a leading role as India first beat Belarus in a home Test series in March and then won the World League Round 2 in Chile the following month. Over the summer, she captained India to 10th place at the World League Semi-finals, a finish that left India on the verge of qualification to their first World Cup in eight years. Rani was captain when they sealed their place in the 2018 World Cup with their first Asia Cup win in 13 years in Japan last November.
In their own words
"The next year [2018] is very important for us. These tournaments happen every four years. Naturally, now that we have won the Asia Cup, expectations will increase. We as a team need to enter these tournaments with the same confidence we had entering the Asia Cup."
- Rani, after winning the Asia Cup
MC Mary Kom
What they did in 2017
After nearly two decades of competitive boxing, Mary Kom continues to be the standard bearer for the sport in India. After a disappointing campaign to qualify for the 2016 Olympics, Kom appeared to pick up where she had left off. In November, the 34-year-old picked up her fifth gold at the Asian Championships in Vietnam, when she beat Hyang Mi Kim in the 48kg category. The gold was her first at the continental Championships since 2010. Ahead of this year's Commonwealth Games, her next target, she also won gold at the inaugural India Open Boxing Championships.
In their own words
"It is important for me to win. I am the first Indian to fight today. If I start well I can motivate the other boxers too."
- Mary Kom after qualifying for the final of the Asian Championships