Former hockey skipper Rani Rampal announces retirement

New Delhi: Legendary Indian hockey player Rani Rampal left an uplifting legacy when she announced her retirement to coach “Soorma” in the Women’s Hockey India League.
Rani, a well-known personality in Indian hockey, announced her retirement from playing on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for the sport. In order to take on a new challenge as coach of the Women’s Hockey India League, the 30-year-old star announced her decision to retire from competitive play.
Rani, a clinical attacker, made her debut for India in the 2008 Olympic qualifiers at the age of 14. In her 254 appearances, she scored 205 goals.
She solidified her reputation as a strong player and captain by leading the national team to an unprecedented fourth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“My toughest moment in life was when we lost the semifinal match against Argentina in the Tokyo Olympics,” Rani looked back on her career. “We had to be ready for a bronze medal match just a day after being disappointed not to make it to the final.”

Remarkable career

Rani’s remarkable hockey career has spanned over one-and-a-half decades and is characterised by notable achievements. At the age of 14, she made her debut for her country, making history as the youngest member of the Indian women’s hockey team at the April 2008 Olympic qualifying tournament in Kazan, Russia. Raised in Shahbaad Markanda, Haryana, where she was born to a cart puller, Rani’s ascent to fame is truly remarkable.
She developed her talents under the direction of Baldev Singh, a Dronacharya Award-winning coach, and became one of her state’s best hockey players.
Her talent immediately attracted notice from all over the world, making her the first Indian woman to receive a nomination for the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) “Women’s Young Player of the Year” Award.
In 2010, Rani initiated her remarkable career by winning the title of “Best Young Player of the Tournament” at the Women’s Hockey World Cup in Argentina.

Captaincy & history

Rani guided the Indian women’s team to many victories while serving as captain. For the first time in 13 years, they won the Women’s Asia Cup in 2017, a triumph that demonstrated India’s rising prominence in international hockey.
Under her direction, the team also won a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games and advanced to the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup quarterfinals. India qualified for consecutive Olympic Games under her leadership, including winning the FIH Olympic Qualifier in Bhubaneswar against the US and putting on strong performances in the 2019 FIH Series Finals.

Honours and acknowledgement

Rani has received several distinguished honours in recognition of his genius. After winning the Arjuna Award in 2016, Rani received the World Games Athlete of the Year title in 2019.
She also took home the 2019 Hockey India Award for Best Women’s Player. Rani received the Padma Shri — one of India’s highest civilian honours — and the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2020.
Despite coming from a culture that discouraged women from participating in athletics, Rani’s enthusiasm and unwavering determination enabled her to overcome the obstacles. In 2020, she received the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian distinction in the nation, together with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Achievement Award.
She has also been involved with the women’s junior teams as national coach for some time now.

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