Anitha Pauldurai (born 22 June 1985) is an Indian basketball player from Tamil Nadu. She was the captain of the India women's national basketball team for eight years after making her senior India debut in 2000. She has been conferred with National Civilian Award Padma Shri in 2021. She has been also conferred with Chief Minister State Award in the field of sports by Government of Tamil Nadu in 2013.
Early life and education
Pauldurai was born in a middle class Tamil family to late police constable G. Pauldurai and housewife Lalitha in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu. She did her schooling at St. Antony’s Higher Secondary School in Santhome and Lady Sivaswamy Ayyar Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Mylapore. She did her B.Com.at Madras University and later did MBA (HRM) from Annamalai University. She joined Southern Railway 2003, and worked as Officer on Special Duty, Ticket Checking. In 2021, she became a Chief Welfare Inspector (Sports). N Sampath was one of her early coaches at the Rising Star Club.
Career Pauldurai played for 18 years in the Indian women's national team (2000 to 2017). She is the first Indian woman who played nine Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) championships continuously representing the national squad. Anitha has a record of 30 medals in national championships.
She was also the youngest to captain the Senior National Team at the age of 19 at the FIBA Asia Championship in China. She went on to captain the national team for eight years. In August 2012, she was selected to play for an international women professional league in Thailand.
She played a number of international tournaments including big-ticket events such as the Asian championship, Commonwealth Games 2006 and Asian Games 2010. She won the gold medal in 1st 3x3 FIBA Asian Basketball Championships at Doha 2013. She was also part of the team that won gold medal in 3rd Asian Beach games at Haiyan, China 2012. She was captain and provided top assists in the tournament where India won gold medal in south Asian Beach games at Sri Lanka in 2011 and silver medal in Asian indoor games at Vietnam 2009.
She was employed with Indian Railways and in domestic events, she played for Southern Railways. Even in November 2022, she represented Tamil Nadu that won the Federation Cup at Bengaluru.
Coaching career
In October 2017, she was named as the assistant coach for the Indian under 16 team, after nearly 18 years of her playing career.
Awards and achievements Padma Shri Award for Sports in 2021 - Fourth Highest Civilian Award in India. Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in senior National Basketball Championship at Chennai 2018. Chief Minister State Sports Award 2013. Apart from these top awards, she received many other honours including FEMINA Super Daughter Award 2021, Tamil Nadu Women achiever Award from the Brand Republic 2021, Life Time Achievement Award from Rotary Club Chennai Velachery 2021, Sports Women of the Year Award from Jeppiaar Institute of Technology 2021, Raindrops Women Achiever Award 2021, Best Sports Women Award from TN World Women Wing 2021, Wonder Women Award from Virisha Book of World Record 2021, Women Achiever Award from State Bank Of India 2019, Villayatu Ratna Award from News7 channel Tamil Ratna Awards 2018, Received Doctor of Letters (D.LITT) from DK International Research Foundation 2018, Women Achiever Award from Rajalakshmi Engineering College 2018, Young Achiever Award from International Youth Fest 2018, Women Achiever Award from Vels University 2017, Vikadan award for Golden Captain 2016, Top Plays of the Tournament 2013 FIBA Asian Women, Southern Railway General Manager's Railway Week Award for sports 2008, Best Player Award in 17th Youth Nationals at Vashi 2001 and she also received Book of World Records certificate for contribution towards the basketball sport in India.
International sporting achievements
Year Competition Venue & dates Position Notes Representing India 2017FIBA U-16 Women's Asia Championship Bengaluru 22 to 28 OctoberWinnerAsst coach Level II 2017FIBA Women's Asia Cup Division BBengaluru 23 to 29 JulyWinnerCaptain Level II 39th William Jones CupChinese Taipei 5 to 9 JulyTop 4Captain 201526th FIBA Asia Championship for Senior WomenWuhanchina 29 Aug to 5 SepTop 6Captain 1st FIBA Asia 3 On 3 ChampionshipDhoha, Qatar 15 to 16 MayGold medal 201325th FIBA Asia Championship for Senior WomenBangkok, Thailand 27 Oct to 3 NovTop 5 3rd Asian Beach GamesHaiyang, China 16 to 22 JuneGold medalCaptain Top Assist Women's Professional Basketball LeagueThailand JulySripatum 2012University 34th William Jones Cup TournamentTaiwan 7 to 11 JuneTop 4 1st South Asian Beach GamesHambantotaGold medal Sri Lanka 8 to 14 Aug 201124th FIBA Asia Championship for Senior WomenNagasakiTop 5Top Steal Japan 21 to 28 Aug 33rd William Jones Cup for Women Chinese Taipai 31 July to 4 AugTop 4 201016th Asian GamesChina Guangzhou 12 to 27 Nov 3rd Asian Indoor GamesVietnam 30 Oct to 8 NovSilver medal 200924th FIBA Asia Championship for Senior WomenChennai Captain 17 to 24 Sep 200722nd FIBA Asia Championship for Senior WomenIncheon, Korea 3 to 10 JuneWinner Levelii Common Wealth GamesMelbourne, Australia 15 to 26 MarTop Assist of Tournament 2006Four Nations International Basketball TournamentAuckland, New Zealand 8 to 12 Mar 1st Phuket International Invitational TournamentThailand 22 to 25 SepGold medal 200521st FIBA Asia championship for Senior WomenGinhuangdao, China 19 to 26 JuneCaptain (Youngest ever captain) International Invitational Basketball TournamentMalaysiaSilver medal 200420 to 30 June 20th FIBA Asia Championship for Senior WomenJapan 13 to 19 Jan 200119th FIBA Asia Championship for Senior WomenBangkok Thailand 4 to 11 Oct 2000Junior FIBA Asia Basketball Championship for WomenDelhi 16 to 22 Dec
National sporting achievements
Year Competition Venue & dates Position Notes Life Time Achievement Award received from Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu 201868th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipChennaiGold medal 17 to 24 Jan 67th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipPondicherryBronze 7 to 14 Jan 2017Federation CupCoimbatoreSilver 41st All India Railway ChampionshipKolkata 10 to 15 NovGold 66th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipMysore 9 to 16 JanGold 201640th All India Railway ChampionshipSecundrabad 25 to 30 NovSilver 35th National GamesKerala 1 to 14 FebSilver 201529th Federation CupPune 29 Mar to 2 AprGold 39th All India Railway ChampionshipMumbai 20 to 26 NovGold 1st 3 On 3 Senior National Basketball ChampionshipNew Delhi 10 & 11 AprilGold Bengaluru 30 Jan to 3 FebCaptain Most Valuable Player 201327th Federation CupGold 37th All India Railway ChampionshipKapurthala 6 to 10 NovGold 67th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipLudhiana 20 Dec to 4 JanGold 26th Federation CupCochin 14 to 18 MarGold 201236th All India Railway ChampionshipGuwahati 1 to 8 NovGold 62nd Senior National Basketball ChampionshipChennai 16 to 24 DecGold 34th National GamesJharkhand 12 to 26 FebGoldCaptain 25th Federation CupRaipur 10 To 15 FebSilver 201135th All India Railway ChampionshipKapurthala 4 to 11 NovSilver 61st Senior National Basketball ChampionshipNew Delhi 20 Dec to 4 JanGold 34th All India Railway ChampionshipSecundrabad 26 Nov to 3 DecGold 201051st South Zone Basketball ChampionshipVisakhapatnam 23 to 27 JuneGoldCaptain 60th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipLudhiana 27 Dec to 3 JanGoldCaptain Top Scorer Award 200933rd All India Railway ChampionshipJabalpur 6 to 12 OctGold 59th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipSurat 31 Dec to 7 JanGold 32nd All India Railway ChampionshipGuwahati 3 to 9 SepBronze 200850th South Zone Basketball ChampionshipHospet 18 to 22 OctGoldCaptain 58th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipPondicherry 21 to 28 DecGold 23rd Federation CupRourekela 31 Oct to 4 NovSilverCaptain 2007 31st All India Railway ChampionshipChennai 20 to 26 NovGoldCaptain 56thsenior National Basketball ChampionshipPune 20 Dec to 4 Jan 2006Gold 21st Federation CupBhavnagar 15 to 19 FebSilver 29th All India Railway ChampionshipGorakpur 19 to 22 OctSilver 2005R. Vaikuntam CupNew Delhi 12 to 14 JulyBronze 55th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipLudhiana 26 Dec to 2 JanGold 2004 28th All India Railway ChampionshipLucknow 1 to 8 NovGold 54th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipCuttack 26 Dec 2003 to 2 Jan 2004Gold 45th South Zone Basketball ChampionshipYanam 18 to 22 JulyGold 27th All India Railway ChampionshipVaranasi 5 to 12 NovBronze 200354th Junior NationalsLudhiyana 7 to 14 June- 53rd Senior National Basketball ChampionshipHyderabad 25 Jan to 1 Feb 200253rd Junior NationalsGoa 10 to 17 May 51st Senior National Basketball ChampionshipBengaluru 5 to 12 JanBronze 31st National GamesPunjab 19 Nov to 1 DecSilver 52nd Junior NationalsBhilai 17 to 24 June- 200118th Youth NationalsMadhya Pradhesh 14 to 20 OctGoldCaptain 50th Senior National Basketball ChampionshipDelhi 25 Dec to 1 Jan 2000Bronze 200017th Federation CupVishakapatnam 25 to 30 JulyForth 51st Junior NationalsHimachal Pradesh 9 to 15 SepBronze 17th Youth NationalsVashi 25 Dec to 1 Jan 2001GoldCaptain Most Valuable Player 50th Junior NationalsPondicherry 21 to 27 MayGold 16th Youth NationalsChittoragarh 8 to 13 DecSilver 199915th Youth NationalsSurat 23 to 29 Jan 25th Sub-Junior NationalPondicherry 14 to 18 May- 1998XLIV National School GamesChandigarh 14 to 19 Nov
See also
India women's national basketball team
References
External links
https://www.anithapauldurai.com/