Ritu Negi Biography: Early Life, Domestic Career, Achievements, Social Media and More

Ritu Negi was born on May 30, 1992, in Sharog village in the Shillai area of Transgiri region in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. She is 32 years old. She is the first woman from Himachal Pradesh to represent the country in the Asian Games for kabaddi.

Early Kabaddi Career

Ritu started playing kabaddi at a young age and showed great talent in the sport. After 16 years of hard work and dedication, she became the captain of the Indian women’s kabaddi team. In 2011, under her captaincy, the Indian junior team won the gold medal at the Junior Asian Championship held in Malaysia.

International Achievements

Ritu was a member of the Indian kabaddi team that won the silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games. She also participated in the 2019 South Asian Games where the Indian team won a gold medal. Her biggest achievement came in 2022 at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where she captained the Indian women’s team to win the gold medal. The Indian team defeated Chinese Taipei in the final match held on October 7, 2023, with a score of 26-25.

Awards and Recognition

Ritu Negi was honored with the prestigious Arjuna Award on January 9, 2024, by the President of India. This award recognizes her outstanding performance and contribution to the sport of kabaddi. Additionally, the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister honored her as a state medallist and presented her with a cash award of Rs. 15 lakhs for her achievement at the Asian Games.

Personal Life

Ritu Negi is married to Rohit Gulia, who is also a kabaddi player from Haryana. They got married on April 22, 2022. Despite being a professional athlete, Ritu has continued her studies along with her sports career. She had to take only four days’ leave for her marriage as the Indian team training camp was going on in Gandhinagar at that time.

Current Status

Ritu Negi is the captain of the Indian women’s kabaddi team for the 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025, which will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from November 17 to 24, 2025. She will lead a 16-member squad with Pushpa Rana as vice-captain. The team is being coached by Tejaswini Bai (Head Coach) and Kavita Selvaraj (Assistant Coach). India aims to defend its title as the defending champions from the 1st Women’s Kabaddi World Cup. Ritu’s calm demeanor under pressure and exceptional defensive skills make her a strong leader for the team.

Social Media

Ritu maintains an Instagram profile @negiritu07 where she shares updates about her kabaddi career and personal moments.