- Age
- 49 yrs
- Birthday in 174 days
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- Career highlights
- Honours
- 4
- Most recent 2021
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Anju Bobby George is a former long jumper who won bronze at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, the first medal for India at the event. She later won gold at the 2005 World Athletics Final.
Biography
Early life
Anju was born in the village of Cheeranchira near Changanassery in Kottayam, Kerala, into the Kochuparambil family. Her father, K. T. Markose, encouraged her athletics from childhood, and she competed in sprints, hurdles and jumps before specialising in the long jump.
World Championships medal
Coached by her husband Robert Bobby George, a former national triple jump champion, she won bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and gold at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan. At the 2003 World Championships in Paris she jumped 6.70 m for bronze — the first medal ever won by an Indian at the World Athletics Championships. She also won gold at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games.
Olympics and World Athletics Final
At the 2004 Athens Olympics she finished fifth with 6.83 m, still the Indian national record. In 2005 she won the World Athletics Final in Monaco, a result later upgraded from silver to gold after Russia’s Tatyana Kotova was disqualified for doping — a performance she regards as her best.
After competition
She received the Arjuna Award in 2002, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2003 and the Padma Shri in 2004, and the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year lifetime achievement award in 2021. She works for the Customs department in Bengaluru, runs a training academy for young athletes and is Senior Vice President of the Athletics Federation of India.
Legacy
Anju’s 2003 bronze broke a psychological barrier for Indian athletics, showing that Indians could win medals at the World Championships, and paved the way for later medallists such as Neeraj Chopra. Remarkably, she has said she achieved her results despite having only one functioning kidney, which she revealed in 2020.
Timeline
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1977
Born in Changanassery, Kottayam district, Kerala
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2002
Asian Games gold; Commonwealth Games bronze; Arjuna Award
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2003
World Championships bronze
First Indian medal at the event; also Khel Ratna.
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2004
Fifth at the Athens Olympics with a national record 6.83 m
Padma Shri.
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2005
World Athletics Final gold
Upgraded from silver.
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2021
BBC lifetime achievement award
Awards and honours
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Arjuna Award
2002
-
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
2003
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Padma Shri
2004
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BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year — Lifetime Achievement
2021
Did you know?
-
1
Her 6.83 m from the 2004 Olympics has stood as the Indian record for two decades.
-
2
Her husband was both her coach and a former national triple jump champion.
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3
Her 2005 World Athletics Final result was upgraded to gold years later after a rival’s doping disqualification.
Gallery
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Anju Bobby George?
Anju Bobby George is a former long jumper who won bronze at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, the first medal for India at the event. She later won gold at the 2005 World Athletics Final.
How old is Anju Bobby George?
Anju Bobby George is 49 years old, born on 19 April 1977 in Changanassery, Kottayam district, Kerala.
Where is Anju Bobby George from?
Anju Bobby George was born in Changanassery, Kottayam district, Kerala.
What is Anju Bobby George known for?
Anju Bobby George is best known for Bronze at the 2003 World Championships; 2005 World Athletics Final gold.
What awards has Anju Bobby George received?
Notable honours include Arjuna Award (2002), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2003), Padma Shri (2004), BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year — Lifetime Achievement (2021).
References
- Anju Bobby George — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Anju Bobby George — Olympics.com athlete profile. Olympics.com. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Anju Bobby George — World Athletics profile. World Athletics. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Anju Bobby George — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Anju Bobby George (Q465054) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Anju Bobby George.” TrackFame, last updated 27 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/anju-bobby-george
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