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Ritu Negi Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth30 December 1991

Age31 Years

BirthplaceSharog village, Shillai, Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh

ProfessionKabaddi Player

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseRohit Gulia

FamilyFather - Bhawan Singh Negi; Brother - Lucky Negi

Ritu Negi Biography

Ritu Negi is an Indian kabaddi defender from Himachal Pradesh who captained the national women's team to gold at the 2022 Asian Games. A product of the SAI

Early life and background

Ritu Negi was born on 30 December 1991 in Sharog village, part of the Shillai area in the Transgiri region of Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh. She grew up in a rural setting and completed schooling up to the 12th standard. As a teenager she was drawn to kabaddi after watching older girls play during a school event, an experience that set her on the path to a sporting career.

While still in secondary school, Ritu earned a place at the State Hostel in Bilaspur. In tenth grade she and her coach travelled for selection trials at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Bilaspur, where she was accepted. She spent about nine years training at the SAI facility, competing across junior and senior national events and collecting medals for Himachal Pradesh along the way.

Career

Ritu competes as a defender in kabaddi. Early success at junior level included two gold medals at the Junior Nationals while representing SAI Bilaspur. As she progressed, she added multiple bronze medals in senior nationals for her state and drew attention from selectors during A-grade competitions.

Selection to a railways team proved an important step in her professional life. Senior coaches who observed her at an A-grade tournament recommended her for the South Central Railway women's kabaddi side. She joined the South Central Railway department of Indian Railways in 2014, and strong showings in her initial matches led to invitations to railway camps and selection for the Senior Nationals Indian Railway women's team.

Ritu's international journey began with leadership responsibilities at a young age: she captained the Indian junior side in 2011 and helped that team to a gold medal. She was part of national team camps in subsequent years. Although she did not make the final twelve at the 2017 Asian Championship, she remained in contention and secured a place in the Indian squad for the 2018 Asian Games.

Her leadership reached its peak when she was appointed captain of the Indian women's kabaddi team for the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Under her captaincy the team took the gold medal at that tournament. She has also been part of medal-winning squads at South Asian Games, with gold medals recorded in Kathmandu (2019) and Hangzhou (2022), and a silver at the 2018 Asian Games.

Public profile

Ritu stands about 1.68 m (5'6") tall and her listed playing weight is approximately 60 kg. Her on-field role is defender. She has black hair and black eyes. Personal interests noted in profiles include watching films and listening to Punjabi music. Among her favourite figures and influences are kabaddi players Ajay Thakur and Fazel Athrachelli; in cinema, she has cited actors Salman Khan and Kangana Ranaut and the film Dangal.

Family and personal life

Ritu is married to Rohit Gulia; their marriage took place on 22 April 2022. Her father, Bhawan Singh Negi, is a retired teacher. She has a brother named Lucky Negi. She is from a Hindu background and has identified Hissar (Hisar) as her hometown.

Honours and recognition

In December 2023 Ritu Negi became the first woman kabaddi player from Himachal Pradesh to receive the Arjuna Award, recognising outstanding performance in sports and games for 2023. Following the 2022 Asian Games success, the Haryana government awarded her a cash prize of Rs. 3 Crores in October 2023.

Latest updates

As of late 2023 and into 2024, Ritu remains a prominent figure in Indian women's kabaddi due to her captaincy at the Asian Games, the Arjuna Award distinction, and the government recognition tied to that continental success. Her trajectory from a village in Sirmaur to national captaincy and national honours underlines a career built through state-level training, railway employment, and steady progress through junior and senior national tournaments.
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Recent Work

Captain, Indian Women's Kabaddi Team

Led the Indian women's kabaddi team to gold at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Captain of the Indian women's kabaddi team that won gold at the 2022 Asian Games
  2. Gold medals at the 2019 and 2022 South Asian Games
  3. Silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games
  4. Joined South Central Railway and represented Indian Railways in national competitions
  5. Recipient of the Arjuna Award (2023) — first woman kabaddi player from Himachal Pradesh to receive it
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ritu Negi born?

30 December 1991

What is Ritu Negi known for?

Kabaddi Player

What is Ritu Negi’s marital status?

Married

Who is Ritu Negi married to?

Rohit Gulia