Rani Rampal: 5 things to know about the Indian women's hockey captain

Rani Rampal is set to lead the Indian women's hockey team at Tokyo 2020, slated to get underway from July 23 2021. Rani will make her second consecutive appearance at the Olympics after Rio 2016, where the Indian eves qualified for the first time after 36 years.

The Haryana forward has been an integral part of the team and has a knack of scoring goals. She is one of the most experienced players in the Indian side with over 220 caps for the national team.

Her leadership be will be vital for the Indian team, which includes eight debutants, at Tokyo 2020. As the Indian team prepares for a podium finish at the Games, under their chief coach Sjoerd Marijne, let us know a bit more about the star player:

Humble beginnings

Rani's father worked as a cart-puller in Shahabad Markanda, Haryana. Her father would sell bricks in a horse cart and would end up earning mere INR 4 or 5 on some days. It, thus, became difficult for the family to have three meals everyday and they were sometimes forced to make do with one.

It was, however, after Rani's significant rise in hockey that her father would finally stop selling bricks in 2015. But the cart still sits outside their residence in their hometown.

One of her two brothers, meanwhile, works as a carpenter while the other is a mechanic.

Breaking barriers

Rani's hometown is one of the hubs of Indian hockey players. It has produced talents like Ritu Rani, Sandeep Singh, Suma Bala, Sandeep Kaur, Rajni Bala and Surinder Kaur.

Rani developed an interest in the sport at the age of seven. But her parents were hesitant about the idea and the neighbours and relatives were against the choice.

"Initially, my parents didn't agree to the idea of me playing hockey. Our neighbours and relatives told my parents that I would bring a bad name to the family because I would be wearing a skirt or shorts," Rani told the Times of India.

"It was very difficult to make them understand. But I kept on pestering and cried a lot and emotionally blackmailed them after which they relented and allowed me to play hockey."

Mentor Baldev Singh bought her kits and jerseys

Even though Rani succeeded in persuading her family to allow her to take up the sport, training was not easy due to her financial struggles.

She was, however, supported by her mentor and first coach - Baldev Singh - the ex coach of Shahabad Hockey Academy (SHA) who bought her kits, jerseys, equipment and even helped her dietary requirements.

First-ever hockey player to win 'World Games Athlete of the Year' award

Rani emerged as the first-ever hockey player to win the World Games Athlete of the Year award. She won the prestigious award after being named the Player of the Tournament in the FIH Series Finals and helping her side qualify for Tokyo 2020.

"With an impressive number of votes, 199,477, Rani is the clear winner of the Athlete of the Year race, where sports fans all over the world have voted for their favourite during 20 days of polling in January. All in all, over 705,610 votes were cast during the poll," the World Games said in a statement.

Inspired by Mary Kom

Indian boxing legend and six-time World Champion Mary Kom is one of her heroes.

"I follow Mary Kom very closely, because she is an icon, a six-time world champion, a mother of three, and yet she has the same hunger to learn," Rani had told femina.in.

She is also an avid follower of Punjabi music and also enjoys listening to Bollywood classics to unwind after gruelling sessions or tours.

"I don’t get much free time, but I love listening to music. I enjoy Punjabi music, and old Bollywood melodies, also music from the ’80s and ’90s. Other than that, I like to spend time with my family whenever I have the time to be with them," she said.