India GK Aditi Chauhan gets birthday gift- wins 'Woman in Football' award

Aditi is a true all-rounder in every sense of the word. The goalie has a black belt in Karate, played for the Delhi state basketball team, and has competed at the zonal level in discus throw, javelin throw and shot put events.

In fact, had it not been for her basketball coach's persuasion, to attend the trials for the Delhi U-19 women's football team as a goalkeeper, she would have probably been in a different sport altogether.

After progressing through the youth levels of the national team and playing for India's U-19 team at the age of 17, Aditi established herself as first choice goalkeeper of the senior squad. In 2013, she was part of the women's team which lifted the SAFF Championship with an emphatic win over Sri Lanka in the final. The 23-year-old, who hails from Delhi, has gone on to represent India at various international tournaments, including the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

Apart from her exploits in football, Aditi has also pursued her academics with similar enthusiasm. She move to England to study Masters in Sports Management from the Loughborough University. While representing the University football team, she grabbed a lot of eyeballs and soon West Ham United, one of the oldest clubs in UK, arrived with an offer.

Aditi Chauhan became the first Indian woman footballer to play competitively in England, when she joined West Ham United's ladies team in August this year.

West Ham Ladies are currently in the Football Association's (FA) Women's Premier League Southern Division, a league in the third level in the women's football structure in England.

Aditi Chauhan, who is celebrating her birthday today, expressed her happiness through Twitter.  

In the media award category Star Sports presenter Seema Jaswal lost out to BBC Sports News & BT Sport Presenter Reshmin Chowdhury.