Former Indian Women’s Hockey Captain Rani Leads Special Strikers Camp at Kalinga Stadium

Bhubaneswar: With the goal of nurturing diverse hockey talent in Odisha, former Indian Women’s Hockey Team captain, Rani Rampal, has initiated a women’s strikers camp at the iconic Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

This unique camp, organized by the Sports and Youth Services Department of Odisha in collaboration with the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre and the Hockey Association of Odisha, will run from August 14th to August 19th. The initiative provides aspiring players across the state an exceptional chance to learn from one of the most accomplished strikers in the history of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team. A total of 25 players from various centers including Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre, Sports Hostel Panposh, SAI STC Sundargarh, and SAI NCOE Bhopal will participate in this strikers camp.

Expressing her perspective on the camp, Rani Rampal shared, “This camp is a significant initiative. It gives me an opportunity to impart my knowledge, skills, and experience to the players in Odisha. Throughout the camp, I’ll be focusing on refining their technical, physical, and mental aspects of the game through rigorous training sessions.”

Rani also commended the sports ecosystem in Odisha, highlighting its extensive progress over the years. She remarked, “Odisha has firmly placed itself on the global sports map with its numerous initiatives and developments. The world-class facilities here stand out, and the comprehensive hockey program in Odisha emphasizes sports science, nutrition, and psychology. I am eagerly looking forward to my time here.”

Notably, Rani led a young Indian squad to a remarkable fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, marking India’s best Olympic performance in just their third appearance. Rani, who made her debut in 2008 at the age of 14, holds the distinction of being the youngest hockey player ever fielded by India.