Rani hangs boots, wishes Olympic podium finish for women’s team

Former Indian women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal announced her retirement on Thursday, ending a glittering 16-year career during which she became an inspiration for beating abject poverty and conservative views at a small town in Haryana where her father worked as a cart-puller.

The 29-year-old will sign off as one of India’s most decorated hockey players after leading the women’s team to its best-ever finish at the Olympics -- a fourth place at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

"It’s been an outstanding journey. I never thought I will play for so long for India. I have seen a lot of poverty from childhood but focus was always to do something, represent the country," she told reporters here.

A Padma Shri recipient

She was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2020 and was also a recipient of the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award, in the same year. She was recently roped in as the national coach for sub-junior women players.

Rani has also joined Soorma Hockey Club, representing Haryana and Punjab in the revamped Hockey India League, as the mentor of its women’s team.

Hard-fought innings

The player from Shahabad, considered a cradle of Indian hockey, rose from abject poverty to make the national team. Her father Ram Pal, who has been her guiding force, earned a mere Rs 80 per day and could not afford to even buy her a hockey stick. She was rejected by a district-level coach for being malnourished as a child but continued to practice with a broken hockey stick that she stumbled upon in a field.

Youngest hockey player

Despite the many obstacles, including initial opposition from her conservative family, Rani made the local team as a six-year-old before becoming the youngest hockey player to turn up for India as a 14-year-old.