Ashwini Chidananda Shetty Akkunji is an Indian sprint athlete from Siddapura, Udupi who specializes in 400 metres. Ashwini has won Gold Medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Asian Games in 4×400 m relay team event with Manjeet Kaur, Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose and an individual gold medal in the 400 metres hurdles on 25 November 2010 at the 2010 Asian Games held at Guangzhou, in China. She is also a recipient of the Rajyotsava Prashasti (2010), a civilian honour awarded by the Indian State Government of Karnataka
Born in Siddapura, Udupi, Kundapura taluk, Udupi district, Karnataka, she was raised in a Tulu-speaking family to her mother, Yashoda Shetty Akkunji and father, B.R. Chidananda Shetty. Ashwini hails from an agriculturist family. with a sporting legacy. She grew up on her family’s 5 acre farmland amidst Areca nut plantations along with her elder siblings a sister, Dipti and a brother, Amith. Earlier, Ashwini was employed with the Indian Railways, and as a manager in Corporation bank in Patiala, Punjab and presently works as a coach in Sports Authority of India Bangalore
She was awarded the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2010. This comprised a cash payment of one hundred thousand Rupees, a 20 gramme gold medallion and a grant of priority in the allotment of house sites by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). She has been rewarded financially by both the national and state governments, as well as Indian Railways, in recognition of the gold medals won in 2010
