Indian taekwondo ace Rupa Bayor has created history. As per the latest rankings released by World Taekwondo, Bayor sits in the sixth rank with 100.85 pts and is ranked No. 1 in the Asia ranking in Recognized Poomsae (Female Under 30). She is the first Indian to make it in the top 10. Earlier in December, she was placed in no. 8 but has now moved up by two ranks.
Crediting her landmark milestone in Indian martial arts, Arunachal Pradesh leaders extended their happiness to Rupa. Her rankings are a first in the history of Indian Taekwondo. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein says Rupa’s ranking is a major boost for India Taekwondo in making a mark on the global stage and is a mark of immense pride for Arunachal Pradesh and the Northeast.
Meanwhile, BJP State President Kaling Moyong highlighted that her historic achievement has placed an Indian athlete on the world rankings list. This success adds a breakthrough moment for her future career as she continues to add more milestones like this and cater to the growth and recognition of Indian Taekwondo.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu says Rupa’s achievement brings pride for India from her journey starting at Upper Subansiri district to landing on the global platform.
Rupa Bayor’s career achievements
The 24-year-old mainly competes in Poomsae, which is a non-combative discipline of Taekwondo. She has recently won bronze medals at the Australia Open Taekwondo Tournament held in August and World Taekwondo President Cup Europe in November respectively. Her achievements earned her the No. 8 of the World Rankings, which is now changed to no. 6 in the list.
Hailing from the Sippi village in the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, Bayor was raised by her mother, who was a farmer catering to the needs of her five children. Plagued by the village life with not many opportunities or amenities to be found, Bayor was brought to the world of martial arts through her uncle, Thabu Sehra, who is a district-level coach in karate.
Her first international breakthrough came with a silver medal won in the South Asian Games. In 2021, Bayor shifted to Mumbai to train at the Indo Korean Taekwondo Academy under coach Abhishek Dubey. That year, she was placed at no. 123 in the world ranking, but later in 2022, she made her place in the top 50, followed by the top 15 in 2023.
Her prolific run continued with a gold medal win in the WT President’s Cup Europe, followed by podium finishes in the Asian Championships and Australian Open. Bayor was appointed to the Target Asian Games Group of the Sports Ministry in April 2025.
