Anju Bobby George

Anju Bobby George Quick Facts

Why Anju Bobby George Matters

Before 2003, no Indian had ever stood on a World Championships podium in athletics. Anju’s bronze in Paris broke that barrier and showed that Indian jumpers could compete with the world’s best. Her career was built largely outside the official system, by a husband who gave up his engineering job to coach her and a family willing to seek training abroad. After retiring she turned that experience into a coaching academy that has produced some of India’s top young long jumpers, including Shaili Singh. Her national record lasted 22 years, and when Ancy Sojan finally broke it in 2026, the achievement was measured against Anju’s name.

Anju Bobby George Major Medals

Early Life and Family

Anju was born Anju Markose on 19 April 1977 in Cheeranchira, near Changanassery in Kerala’s Kottayam district. Her father, K. T. Markose, introduced her to athletics as a child, and her talent was developed at CKM Koruthode school, a well-known nursery for Kerala athletes. As a teenager she was an all-rounder, winning medals in the 100 m hurdles, relays, long jump and high jump, and she initially trained as a heptathlete.

While studying at Vimala College in Thrissur, she won a long jump medal at the 1996 Asian Junior Championships in New Delhi, which convinced her to concentrate on jumping. She was later found to have been born with only one kidney, a condition she competed with throughout her career.

Breakthrough: A Coach at Home

The turning point came through Robert Bobby George, a former national triple jump champion and the younger brother of volleyball great Jimmy George. In 1998 he left his job as a mechanical engineer to coach Anju full time, and the two married in 2000. Realising that she needed international exposure, they arranged for her to work on technique with American long jump world record holder Mike Powell before the 2003 World Championships. The results were immediate: in 2002 she won Commonwealth bronze in Manchester and Asian Games gold in Busan.

Anju Bobby George Career Journey

Paris 2003: India’s First World Medal

At the 2003 World Championships in Paris, Anju cleared 6.70 m to win bronze, becoming the first Indian ever to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships. It remains one of the defining moments in Indian track and field. The same year she won gold at the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad.

Athens 2004 and the 2005 World Athletics Final

At the 2004 Athens Olympics she produced the best jump of her life, 6.83 m, to finish fifth and set a national record. In 2005 she won the Asian Championships in Incheon and finished second at the World Athletics Final in Monte Carlo behind Russia’s Tatyana Kotova. Years later, re-testing of Kotova’s samples led to her disqualification, and Anju was officially upgraded to gold. She has described that Monte Carlo competition as the best performance of her career.

Later Career

She remained one of Asia’s leading long jumpers, winning silver at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, the 2007 Asian Championships in Amman and two Asian Indoor Championships, along with a Games-record gold at the 2006 South Asian Games. She competed at her second Olympics in Beijing in 2008 before stepping back from competition.

Anju Bobby George Records and Milestones

• First Indian athlete to win a World Athletics Championships medal (bronze, Paris 2003).
• Gold at the 2005 World Athletics Final, after being upgraded from silver.
• 6.83 m long jump at Athens 2004, the Indian women’s record for 22 years until Ancy Sojan jumped 6.88 m on 27 June 2026.
• Asian Games champion (2002) and Asian champion (2005).
• Personal best of 13.67 m in the triple jump (2002).
• Competed at the elite level with a single kidney.

Anju Bobby George Awards and Honours

• Arjuna Award (2002)
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, now the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2003)
• Padma Shri (2004)
• BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award (2021)
• World Athletics Woman of the Year Award (2021), for her work developing young athletes
• Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Athletics Federation of India awards (June 2026)

Life After Athletics: Coach and Administrator

Anju and Bobby founded the Anju Bobby George Academy in Bengaluru under the Anju Bobby Sports Foundation, which trains young jumpers. One of its products, Shaili Singh, became India’s top junior long jumper and has won medals at the World U20 and Asian Championships. Anju served as president of the Kerala State Sports Council before resigning in June 2016. She is Senior Vice President of the Athletics Federation of India and, since January 2025, chairs the AFI Athletes’ Commission. She is also employed with the Customs department in Bengaluru.

Personal Life

Anju married Robert Bobby George in 2000. He was her coach throughout her competitive career and remains her partner in running their academy. The couple have a son, Aaron, and a daughter, Andrea, and live in Bengaluru.

Frequently Asked Questions About Anju Bobby George

What is Anju Bobby George famous for?

She is the first Indian to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships, winning long jump bronze in Paris in 2003.

Does Anju Bobby George still hold the national record?

No. Her 6.83 m from the 2004 Athens Olympics stood for 22 years until Kerala’s Ancy Sojan jumped 6.88 m at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar on 27 June 2026.

Did Anju Bobby George compete with one kidney?

Yes. She was born with a single kidney and achieved her world and Olympic results despite the condition.

Who is Anju Bobby George’s husband?

Her husband is Robert Bobby George, a former national triple jump champion who coached her throughout her career and co-founded their academy in Bengaluru.