Rani Rampal, captain of the Indian women’s hockey team, has announced that she is retiring after playing hockey for 16 years. She shared this news during a press conference. Rani started from a small town in Haryana and worked hard to become one of India’s best hockey players. The 29-year-old led the Indian team to its best result ever at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where the team finished in fourth place.

“It’s been an outstanding journey. I never thought I would play for India for so long. I have seen a lot of poverty from my childhood, but my focus was always on doing something great for the country,” Rani said during her retirement speech.

Rani Rampal started playing for the Indian hockey team in 2008 when she was only 14 years old, making her the youngest player to represent India in hockey at that time. She played her first match during the Olympic qualifiers that year and quickly became an important player for the team. In her career, Rani played 254 matches and scored 205 goals, which is a very impressive achievement.

When Rani Rampal was 15, she played in the 2010 Women’s Hockey World Cup as part of the Indian team. In that tournament, she scored seven goals and helped India achieve its best ranking since 1978. Rani was known for being a great forward but also showed her flexibility by playing in the midfield whenever necessary.

 

Rani's role in India's olympic success

 

Rani Rampal was a great leader when she was the captain of the Indian women's hockey team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Under her guidance, the team finished in fourth place, which was their best result ever in the Olympics. Even though they didn't win a medal, this achievement was very important for Indian women’s hockey and made more people interested in the sport in the country.

During her career, Rani Rampal helped India win many important competitions. She led the team to a silver medal at the 2017 Women’s Asian Cup and another silver at the 2018 Asian Games. Rani was also chosen to carry India’s flag at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games, which is a special honour.

 

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Honours and awards of Rani Rampal

 

Rani Rampal's great work in Indian hockey has been rewarded with many important awards. In 2016, she won the Arjuna Award for her success in hockey. In 2020, she received India’s top sports award, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. That same year, she also got the Padma Shri, which is the fourth-highest civilian award in India.

Rani Rampal was given the title of "Best Young Player of the Tournament" at the 2010 Women's Hockey World Cup. In 2013, she was named "Player of the Tournament" at the Junior World Cup, where India won its first-ever bronze medal.