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Players of Indian descent have become popular athletes overseas in various sports. The reasons for them heading out of the nation are many, but their achievements speak for themselves. Not only did they bring honours to the country they chose to represent, but created records in the process. Here are five such athletes who did tremendously well for themselves and their country.
#5 Sim Bhullar
Sim Bhullar is the first player of Indian descent to be signed for an NBA team after he inked a deal with the Sacramento Kings for the 2014/15 season. Bhullar’s parents migrated to Canada from Punjab, India.
The 7-foot-5 Bhullar was born in Toronto and played two seasons for New Mexico State, where he averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks.
#4 Michael Chopra
Michael Chopra is the first player of Indian parentage to play and score in the English Premier League. In 2006, he scored what was then the fastest goal by a substistute in Premier League history when he scored after being on the pitch for 15 seconds.
He has represented Sunderland, Cardiff City and Ipswich Town, and has spent loan spells at Watford, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley. He played for England at the Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 levels.
#3 Rajiv Ouseph
Rajiv is an England badminton player and is currently the nation’s top player. He won the Senior National Singles title four times in a row at the English National Badminton Championships in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
He won the US Open in 2010. He also bagged a silver medal in singles and a bronze in mixed team event at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. He is currently ranked No. 24 in the world.
#2 Vijay Singh
Nicknamed the Big Fijian, golfer Vijay Singh was World No. 1 for 32 weeks between 2004 and 2005. He won three major championships- The Masters in 2000 and the PGA Championship in 1998 and 2004.
Singh was also the leading money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008. He has 34 wins on the PGA tour, 13 on the European tour, 5 on the Asian tour apart from 13 other titles.
He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2005, but deferred his induction until 2006.
#1 Hashim Amla
Hashim Amla is currently the captain of the South African test team. He is ranked No. 4 batsman in the world at the moment in both Tests as well as One-Day Internationals (ODIs). H became the first South African to score a triple century in test cricket fater his effort of 311 not out against England in 2012.
Amla was born to a South African Muslim family, but has his roots in Surat, India.
He was the quickest to reach 3000 and 4000 runs in ODIs. He was also the fastest batsman to score 10 tons in ODI cricket. He was named as one of the Wisden cricketers of the year in 2013.
