Deep Grace Ekka: India Eves have the potential to finish on the podium in Tokyo
The veteran defender thinks playing against higher-ranked opponents has helped India improve
The Sundargarh district in Odisha can arguably be called the cradle of Indian hockey. The sport has a rich history in this district as it is believed that the first hockey match here was played back in the 1860s when European missionaries introduced the sport as a school curriculum.
Hence it is no surprise that the region has produced five national captains - Prabodh Tirkey, Ignace Tirkey, Dileep Tirkey, and Jyoti Sunita Kulu, alongside several other Olympians.
India's mainstay in defence Deep Grace Ekka hails from the Lulkidhi village from the same district. Hockey runs through her veins -- her father, uncle and elder brother were notable local players.
"I have grown up in a hockey surrounding. I wanted to be a goalkeeper from the beginning," Ekka narrated to Olympic Channel. "Even though I got hit by the ball many times, I would ignore the pain and still be a goalkeeper. But since my brother and maternal uncle used to be a goalkeeper and they did not allow me to do goalkeeping and instead pushed me to be a defender,"
She was into sports right from her childhood. Not necessarily only hockey but other games as well like football and kabaddi. But when she had to make a choice, she did not think twice and picked up a hockey stick. The barren dust bowls became her stomping ground.
However, the villagers would often criticize her family for allowing a girl to play hockey instead of doing household chores.
" I did not work, so that gave them another reason to talk about me. When I used to play they would say, she doesn't even work and still ladko wala game khelti hai (plays men's sport). But I did not pay any heed to them and continued to play. My father also used to play hockey so he supported me a lot during this phase."
But she was destined for the stars and soon left behind her critics in Lulkidhi to join the SAI (Sports Authority of India) centre, Sundargarh to train in a professional setup. But the transition was not easy.
"On grass, you can play with a straight back, but on turf, you can not do that. You have to bend a little and then play. It was difficult to get used to the new surface."
But Ekka being a quick learner, got hold of the trade in a short time and at just 16 she played her first senior nationals in Sonepat. In 2011, she was called up for the India Junior team and two years later she won bronze in the Junior World Cup. However, it was 2014 Asian Games that played a decisive role in her career.
"That competition changed many things for me. The bronze medal was a motivation for me to play even better in the future."
Though India qualified for the 2016 Olympics after a hiatus of 36 years, they did not have a memorable outing in Rio.
Ekka feels that a lack of experience at the highest platform hurt their chances in Rio. But the Indian team have been locking horns against quality opponents in the recent past and that has helped them improve. In January they visited Argentina followed by another trip to Germany in February as part of their preparations for Tokyo 2020.
"It was great to play against the top two teams. I learnt a lot from them. They were good in one-vs-one plays. At first, it was difficult to gauge but gradually I understood their style and then it was alright. Whereas, Germany's team game was amazing. They would build-up and their striker was so intelligent. She would attract defenders and always make space for other players to utilise."
The Indian team is likely to go for a few more exposure trips in the run-up to the tournament, which makes Ekka hopeful of a strong finish in Tokyo.
"In Rio, we did not have the requisite experience. Therefore, we fared badly. At such a big tournament like the Olympics, you need a lot of experience. But now we have been sweating hard on the training ground. We are playing difficult teams and higher-ranked opponents. So this is huge for us. If we continue like this then I am hopeful that we can get a medal in the Olympics," stated a confident Ekka.