Former India women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal, who guided her country to an unprecedented fourth-place result at the Tokyo Olympics, announced her retirement from professional sports, on October 24 (Thursday). A successful 16-year career came to an end for the 29-year-old. After advancing through the ranks from modest beginnings, Rani became a symbol of Indian hockey. Rani Rampal scored more than 100 goals in more than 250 games for India.
"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 in a press conference, as quoted by PTI news agency.
Days after being hired to coach the sub-junior national squad, Rani made her decision.
Rani's iconic career
Rani became the youngest hockey player to represent India when she made her debut for her country at the 2008 Olympic qualifiers, at the age of 14. At the age of 15, she was a member of the Indian squad that competed in the 2010 World Cup, where she scored seven goals to assist India to place ninth in the world rankings and record its best result since 1978.
Rani has shown incredible versatility during her career by playing as a midfielder and a forward. The silver medal in the 2017 Women's Asian Cup and the silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games, where she also carried India's flag at the closing ceremony, are just two of the significant wins she has helped bring about. When Rani led the Indian women's hockey team to a historic fourth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics—the team's highest Olympic ranking to date—her leadership was on full display.
Many important prizes have been given to her in recognition of her accomplishments. An important honor in Indian athletics, the Arjuna Award, was given to her in 2016. She was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest Indian national honor, and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honor, in 2020. Rani was also named the "Player of the Tournament" at the 2013 Junior World Cup, where India earned its first-ever bronze medal, and the "Best Young Player of the Tournament" at the 2010 Women's Hockey World Cup.
