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Annu Rani (Athlete) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth28 August 1992

Age32 Years

BirthplaceBahadurpur village, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

ProfessionJavelin Thrower

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Amarpal Singh; Mother - Munni Devi; Brother - Upendra Singh (long-distance runner); two elder brothers and two younger sisters

Annu Rani (Athlete) Biography

Annu Rani Dharayan is an Indian javelin thrower from Bahadurpur village in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. She is the first Indian woman to reach the final at the I

Early life and background

Annu Rani Dharayan was born on 28 August 1992 in Bahadurpur village, Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh. Growing up in a rural household, she developed an early interest in sports and spent much of her childhood playing games with her siblings. Her family includes her father Amarpal Singh, a farmer, her mother Munni Devi, a brother Upendra Singh who is a long-distance runner, two elder brothers and two younger sisters. Raised in a community with conservative social expectations for girls, Annu faced cultural and practical obstacles while pursuing athletics.

She began practising javelin relatively late, taking it up around 2010 at age 18. Early training was improvisational: she practiced by throwing sugarcane sticks and even made her first javelin from a long bamboo piece because dedicated equipment was unaffordable. Travel for practice was demanding; at times she covered long distances to train and relied on family members for company and support. Financial hardship affected her early career, including borrowing money to buy training shoes and sleeping on train floors while travelling to competitions.

Career

Annu’s potential was noticed by coach Kashinath Naik, a Commonwealth bronze medallist, who began training her in 2013 after persuading her family to allow her to train away from home. She later trained at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala and worked with coach Baljeet Singh as well. Her training combined repeated javelin practice and heavy weight training to develop power, while coaches emphasised technique as a decisive factor in improving distance.

She steadily improved national records and competitive marks. In 2014 she broke a 14-year-old national record at the National Inter-State Athletics Championship in Lucknow. That year she finished eighth at the Commonwealth Games and won her first international medal, a bronze, at the Asian Games in Incheon with a throw over 59 metres.

In the years that followed she battled injuries but returned to form, repeatedly improving her personal best. She recorded a series of national-level wins and progressively longer throws, including surpassing 61 metres in 2017 and setting a mark of 62.34 metres in March 2019 at the National Senior Athletics Championships in Patiala. Her performances qualified her for major championships and helped her become the first Indian female to reach the final at the World Athletics Championships in Doha in 2019.

Annu represented India at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after qualifying on the basis of her world ranking. She continued to collect medals at regional and international meets: national titles, a silver at the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships in 2019, a bronze at the Ostrava Golden Spike and at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and gold at the Qosanov Memorial in Almaty in 2022.

Her career-best recorded throw of 63.24 metres came in 2021 at the National Interstate Athletic Championship in Patiala. In 2023 she achieved a landmark result at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, becoming the first Indian woman to win gold in the javelin at the Asian Games with a season-best throw of 62.92 metres.

Public profile

Annu’s achievements have earned recognition within Indian sport. Awards include Sportstar Aces Sportswoman of the Year in Athletics (2019), the Times of India Sports Award for Best Female Athlete (2022), and the Trailblazer of the Year Award at the CNBC TV18 IBLA in 2023. Her success also led to employment with the Indian Railways as an officer.

Throughout interviews she has spoken about the hardships of training in a conservative village environment, adjustments required when practising alongside boys, and the mental and technical focus needed in javelin. She has credited coaches and motivational influences for helping shape her approach to the sport.

Latest updates

Annu continued to be active on the international circuit through 2023, capped by the historic Asian Games gold in Hangzhou. Her competitive record includes national championships, continental medals, and podium finishes at Commonwealth and other international meets. As of 2024 she is 32 years old and remains one of India’s leading female javelin throwers.
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Recent Work

Gold - Asian Games, Hangzhou

Won gold in javelin with a season-best throw of 62.92 metres (2023).

2023
Bronze - Commonwealth Games, Birmingham

Secured bronze in javelin at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

2022
Gold - National Interstate Athletic Championship, Patiala

Recorded a career-best throw of 63.24 metres and won gold (2021).

2021
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Career Highlights

  1. First Indian female to reach the World Athletics Championships final (Doha, 2019)
  2. First Indian woman to win gold in javelin at the Asian Games (Hangzhou, 2023)
  3. Multiple national championships and international medals including Asian Games bronze (2014) and Commonwealth Games bronze (2022)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Annu Rani (Athlete) born?

28 August 1992

What is Annu Rani (Athlete) known for?

Javelin Thrower

What is Annu Rani (Athlete)’s marital status?

Unmarried