Rani – A legend in the making

Rani Rampal is a star forward in the Indian women’s hockey team who has made waves since her debut! We take a look at the life and times of this one-time teen sensation.

From the small town of Shahabad in Haryana, India has found one of its finest forwards in women’s hockey. With lightning quick feet movement, remarkable ball sense and stick work, she is arguably India’s woman of the moment in hockey today.

Youngest Of The Lot

DANIEL GARCIA / AFP

At the age of six, when she first approached coach Baldev Singh she was rejected for being too young. But Dronacharya awardee Baldev Singh had to change his mind when Rani demonstrated her agility and talent to become the youngest player in the academy. At 14, she made her debut for the senior team, making her the youngest player in the Indian team and at 15, she became the youngest player to represent the national team in a World Cup.

Making Her Mark

DANIEL GARCIA / AFP

In the World Hockey League semi-finals in Belgium earlier this year, she scored the equaliser and the final sudden-death goal in a must-win match against Italy, before scoring the winning goal against Japan in the last do-or-die encounter. Her decisive interventions meant India finished fifth, which was good enough to qualify for Rio 2016.

Rani was adjudged top goal scorer and the ‘Young Player of the Tournament’ at the 2009 Champion’s Challenge Tournament. She played a key role in winning the silver medal for India in the 2009 Asia Cup. After playing for India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2010 Asian Games, Rani Rampal was included in the FIH Women’s All Star Team of 2010.

To top it all, she scored a total of seven goals in the 2010 Women’s Hockey World Cup, to be adjudged as the best player of the tournament! She is also the only Indian to be nominated for the FIH Women’s Young Player of the Year Award, 2010.

Not An Easy Road

PRAKASH SINGH / AFP

For Rani, as with for most sportswomen in India, these accomplishments did not come easy. When she’s not playing, Rani has to work as a junior clerk in the railways to make ends meet. Her father pulls a horse-cart and while he could not afford to get her shoes and hockey sticks, he let her live her dream in every possible way. The sex ratio in Rani’s town is significantly worse than the rest of the state, which in turn is one of the worst in the country. Since girls are not encouraged to play, her parents faced a backlash when they first enrolled her in the hockey academy. On a daily basis, Rani has to deal with societal disapproval and judgment, and her accomplishments have only improved things for her slightly.

Assistant Coach Already

At 21, she is already inspiring the next generation of hockey players in India. Considering her astounding achievements, the Sports Authority of India has decided to offer post of Assistant Coach in SAI in relaxation of the recruitment rule of not employing non-retired players as coaches.


 source:zevenworld.com