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C. A. Bhavani Devi Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth27 August 1993

Age31 Years

BirthplaceChennai, Tamil Nadu, India

ProfessionAthlete - Sabre (Fencing)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - C Anandha Sundhararaman; Mother - CA Ramani; Siblings - brothers Suresh Kumar and Ganesh Ram; elder sisters including Renuka

C. A. Bhavani Devi Biography

C. A. Bhavani Devi is an Indian sabre fencer from Chennai who has repeatedly broken new ground for Indian fencing, including becoming the first Indian fenc

Early life and background

Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi was born on 27 August 1993 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She grew up in a family that supported her sporting ambitions: her father C. Anandha Sundhararaman worked as a priest and her mother CA Ramani managed the household and helped arrange funds for Bhavani’s travel and equipment. She attended Muruga Dhanushkodi Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Chennai, where she first encountered fencing as a school-sport option in sixth grade.

Bhavani’s introduction to the sport came at a time when fencing was little known in her region. Early training was modest — practising outdoors and borrowing equipment — until she used electronic fencing gear for the first time at a national event in 2007. She later joined the Sports Authority of India centre in Thalassery and trained at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai as she moved into senior competition.

Education played a parallel role in her life. Bhavani earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Government Brennen College, Thalassery, and went on to pursue an MBA at St Joseph’s Engineering College in Chennai.

Career

Bhavani Devi chose the sabre discipline and developed into one of India’s most prominent fencers. Her rise through national and international junior ranks included early success: at 12 she won her first national gold in individual sabre at the sub-junior nationals in Chennai. She represented India at junior world events from her mid-teens and made steady progress on the international circuit.

Her medal record spans youth, junior and senior categories. Notable achievements include team and individual podium finishes in Junior Commonwealth events and multiple medals at satellite and international opens across Europe and Asia. In 2014 she won the Tuscany Cup in Italy and earned under-23 Asian Championship silver the same year. She claimed two bronze medals in 2015 — at the under-23 Asian Championship in Mongolia and at the Flemish Open in Belgium — and was later awarded a financial purse and an elite scholarship by the Tamil Nadu government.

Bhavani’s breakthrough on the world stage came in 2017 when she became the first Indian woman fencer to win an individual gold at a World Cup event, taking the top spot in Reykjavik, Iceland. She continued to collect medals at Tournoi Satellite competitions, including a silver and a bronze in 2019 in Belgium and Iceland, and a gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Fencing Championship in Canberra.

A milestone for Indian fencing followed in 2023, when Bhavani secured a bronze medal at the Asian Fencing Championships in Wuxi, China — reported as India’s first-ever medal at that event. She has trained under coaches including Sagar Lagu and Nicola Zanotti, with Zanotti guiding her since around 2016.

Bhavani qualified for the Tokyo Olympics through adjusted world ranking procedures and was the first Indian fencer to earn selection for the Games. The Tokyo event was rescheduled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but her selection brought wider recognition, including an appreciation cartoon published by Amul.

Public profile

Off the piste, Bhavani is known for her commitment and perseverance. She has spoken about the challenges of financing international travel and equipment in her early years, and the central role her mother played in keeping her career on track. She has cited international athletes such as Mariel Zagunis, as well as Indian sports figures, as inspirations.

Her competitive world ranking was listed at 42 as of 2021, and she received the Arjuna Award in 2021 in recognition of her contributions to Indian sport. Physically, Bhavani is listed at approximately 163 cm in height and around 60 kg, and she fences right-handed in the sabre event.

Latest updates

In 2023 Bhavani added a historic continental medal to her record with the Asian Championships bronze in Wuxi. She remains an active competitor and a leading figure for fencing in India, continuing to train and represent the national team at international competitions.
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Recent Work

Bronze at the Asian Fencing Championships

Won a bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Fencing Championships in Wuxi, China — reported as India’s first-ever medal at that event.

2023
Gold at Commonwealth Fencing Championship

Won gold in sabre at the 2018 Commonwealth Fencing Championship in Canberra, Australia.

2018
Gold at World Cup (Reykjavik)

Won individual sabre gold at the 2017 Women’s Fencing World Cup in Reykjavik, Iceland, becoming the first Indian woman to do so.

2017
Selection for Tokyo Olympics

Qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics through adjusted official ranking (AOR); the Games were postponed due to the pandemic.

2020
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Career Highlights

  1. First Indian woman fencer to win individual gold at a World Cup event (Reykjavik, 2017)
  2. First Indian to secure a medal at the Asian Fencing Championships (bronze, Wuxi 2023)
  3. Gold medalist at the 2018 Commonwealth Fencing Championship (Canberra)
  4. Recipient of the Arjuna Award (2021)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was C. A. Bhavani Devi born?

27 August 1993

What is C. A. Bhavani Devi known for?

Athlete - Sabre (Fencing)

What is C. A. Bhavani Devi’s marital status?

Unmarried