Striking success

Hailing from a modest background, and born into a society that looks down upon women who want to take up sports, Indian women’s hockey skipper Rani Rampal has seen it all. Born in Shahbad, Haryana, the place known as the hub of hockey and home to many international stars, Rani took up hockey like many others in her village. However, Rani’s parents wanted her to choose education over hockey owing to their financial constraints. Her father was a cart-puller who could not buy her a kit or shoes, but her brilliant skills coupled with passion for the game kept her going.

“My father never wanted me to play hockey, but I was adamant and insisted that I would play,” recalls Rani, whose resolve and focus brought her success. Within a year of making her international debut at age 14, she achieved the distinction of becoming the youngest Indian women’s hockey player to represent the country at the 2010 World Cup in Argentina and returned home with the best young player of the tournament trophy.

The 23-year-old Rani is however, nonchalant about her remarkable success. “Honestly, I had no idea about all this when I took up hockey and did not even understand how important and prestigious it was to play for the country. I only wanted to enjoy what I was doing and support my parents,” she says. The striker, who will lead the team at the World Cup in London next month, recalls, “Like almost everyone else, I also aimed at getting a good job because of hockey. We used to live in a mud house and my parents were poor. I saw their struggles and told myself that I will get them out of it. And thus I began training under Baldev Singh Sir at the Shahbad Academy.”

There were many obstacles along the way. Money was scarce and her parents were told that “she would bring a bad name to the family”. But a determined Rani rose above all of this. She has now played over 200 international matches, was included in the 2010 FIH women’s All star team — a rare feat for an Indian — and was also nominated for the FIH Player of the Year award in the same year. Interestingly, even at tournaments where India did not do well, Rani has often returned home with the best player award. No wonder, she was elevated to the captain’s role and is now the team’s backbone.

Rani’s success story has now made many parents send their daughters to hockey academies in Shahbad. “I feel very happy to see this. There was a time when people used to say that I would bring disrepute to my family and now they think I am a role model. It makes my parents very proud and I feel satisfied,” says Rani, who is a Deputy Superintendent of Police in Haryana. Off the field, she is a fun-loving person and loves to follow the latest fashion. And though she admits she is not a great dancer, she ensures that every now and then, the team gets together for an impromptu dance jig.

“It is our way of team bonding,” says Rani, who also likes to catch up on the latest movies and enjoys listening to Punjabi songs. She is also the team’s go-to person for personal and professional advice. Recently, she helped team mate Lalremsiani of Mizoram learn Hindi to help her feel more comfortable and bond better with the team.