Who Is Himanshi Tokas? First Indian Judoka To Claim World No. 1 Junior Rank

Himanshi Tokas, a 20-year-old judoka from Delhi, has made history by being the first Indian to reach the World No. 1 spot in the International Judo Federation (IJF) Junior Rankings in the women's 63kg category. Her ascent was driven by a string of gold medals in 2025 at major junior events, including the Casablanca African Open in January, the Taipei Junior Asian Cup in July, and the Asian Junior Championships in September.

Himanshi's Journey as a Judoka

Hailing from Munirka, South Delhi, Himanshi Tokas started her career at the age of 18. While her family was initially apprehensive about her pursuing the sport, her mother supported her journey and encouraged her to strongly fight biases.

Tokas first learned the basics of judo at the local wrestling pits, and soon earned national recognition with her performances in the Sub-Junior Nationals and the Khelo India Youth Games. She then started training with coach Yashpal Solanki at the Sports Authority of India's Centre of Excellence in Bhopal.

Tokas' victory at the Asian Junior Championships in Jakarta was remarkable, as she defeated a fellow Indian judoka, Linthoi Chanambam, in the semifinal before overcoming Uzbekistan's Nigina Saparbova for the gold. 

🥋💥 Himanshi Tokas – the rising star from SAI NCOE Bhopal – has clinched Gold at the Junior (U21) Asian Judo Championship 2025 in Jakarta, triumphing over the former World Champion #Linthoi in the semi finale and top-ranked opponents across the world like #Mongolia#Uzbekistan… pic.twitter.com/CgbcCM2E8V

— SAI_Bhopal (@SAI_Bhopal) September 14, 2025

These wins earned Tokas 610 ranking points, allowing her to surpass judokas from countries with strong judo legacies, such as Italy and Brazil. Her technical proficiency is highlighted by the fact that nine of her wins have come by "ippon," the judo equivalent of a knockout.

She is an undisputed No. 1 in the junior division and holds a senior world ranking of 61st with 611 points. Although she has faced early exits at events like the Paris and Tbilisi Grand Slams, her participation in these competitions is crucial for her long-term development. 

Looking ahead, Tokas is scheduled to compete in the Lima World Championships Juniors Individuals on October 5, where she will aim to script her status as a global judo powerhouse. Her journey from overcoming family resistance and a serious eye injury to becoming a world-ranked athlete serves as an inspiration and a sign of the immense potential within Indian judo.