Hyderabad: Whenever one talks about the greatest Indian Hockey players - it is tough to miss out on the name of Rani Rampal, the charismatic captain of the Indian Women's Team.
An attacking striker, who also doubles up as a bankable mid-fielder, Rani is the perfect combination of accuracy and deftness.
Ahead of the International Women's Day, let's celebrate the journey of India's hockey superstar.
Rani was born on December 4, 1994, in the small town of Shahbad in Haryana. Her early days were a story of struggle, as her father, a cart-puller, toiled hard to keep the family afloat.
When in class four, Rani developed an interest in hockey after she saw girls in her town playing the sport. After that, Rani did not look back and made her way into the Indian squad in no time.
In 2009, Rani debuted for the senior Indian team at the tender age of 14. She was a vital member of the Indian team, which won the Silver Medal at the 2009 Asia Cup.
At the age of 15, she became the youngest Indian player to play the Hockey World Cup in 2010 and was adjudged 'player of the tournament' in the 2013 Junior World Cup, in which India won Bronze.
In 2016, she received the prestigious Arjuna Award, which was a dream come true for her.
Incidentally, Rani played a leading role in India's Bronze and Silver wins at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games respectively.
With their daughter earning an endless list of laurels for the country, Rani's parents cannot stop beaming with pride.
Rani's father Rampal expressed happiness and said, "We tried to stop her as we did not know much about the sport, but she was adamant to play hockey. I'm happy that she is making India proud and fulfilling all her dreams."
In her recent achievement, Rani, along with six esteemed athletes, was honoured with Padma Shri on Republic Day, 2020.
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Rani, who currently has more than 200 caps for India, feels her team can now beat any side.
As they gear up for the Olympics later this year, Rani and her team are hoping to script history by becoming the first Indian women's team to finish on the Olympic podium.
