rani rampal – Artifex.News

India women’s Under-18 hockey team eyes strong Asia Cup debut under head coach Rani Rampal

admin — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:57:00 +0000

Rani says the team can draw confidence from its meticulous preparation.
| Photo Credit: File photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

As the Indian women’s team gears up for the under-18 Asia Cup in Japan, there is both anticipation and belief that this group can announce itself on the continental stage.

Months of preparation, including gruelling training camps, and hard-fought exposure matches against Australia in Bhopal have helped fuel that faith. At the centre of the movement is former India captain Rani Rampal, now tasked with guiding the next generation through their first steps in international hockey. “My focus is not on the opponent, we are our own opponent. It doesn’t matter what the other teams are doing or not doing,” head coach Rani told The Hindu.

Placed in Pool A, India will open its campaign against Malaysia on Saturday before taking on South Korea on Sunday and Singapore on Tuesday. The top-two teams from the group will advance to the semifinals on June 5, with the final to be played on June 6. “If we stick to our plan and improve day by day, results will come automatically. For example, we need to have a good penalty corner conversion rate… we need to defend well too.”

Rani backed her side to put on a good show and said the nerves of the big stage were actually a good sign. “Nerves are welcome. They show that you care. I have taught my players that if we prepare well, we can draw confidence from it in the tournament. We can believe that we did our very best. We don’t focus on the result, we focus on the process of what we have to do for the result.”

The Asia Cup will be a special one for many — maiden international event and the first flight journey — making the excitement in the squad impossible to miss. Even a no-nonsense coach like Rani is not oblivious to these humane elements. “I told them to make good memories. So, maybe 10 years later, they will have incredible stories to look back on”.

Published – May 29, 2026 11:27 pm IST

Source link

‘Women’s Hockey India League Will Make Impact Like IPL’, Says Rani Rampal

admin — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 06:02:41 +0000

Former India women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal is hopeful the Women’s Hockey India League (HIL) will set the platform for young girls to win national team berths for the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane and beyond. Talking to SAI Media in Rohtak recently, Rani feels the first edition of women’s HIL will “deliver big time going forward”, the same way the women’s version of the Indian Premier League did for cricket. The first-ever Women’s Hockey India League 2024-25, scheduled between January 12 and 26 in Ranchi, features four teams – Delhi SG Pipers, Odisha Warriors, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers and Soorma Hockey Club.

Rani Rampal will serve as a mentor and coach of the Soorma Hockey Club of Punjab. This will be her maiden stint as a support staff. The 30-year-old from Haryana, who has played more than 250 international matches, feels HIL has come at the right time when women’s hockey is trying to make a turnaround after not qualifying for the Paris Olympics 2024.

“There may be four teams only this time but starting the league has been a long time coming. Hockey India needs to be complimented for this,” Rani told SAI Media, adding that this will be her first major step towards coaching the national team one day.

“The men’s hockey team won back-to-back bronze medals in the Olympics in Tokyo and Paris because the foundation was laid by the men’s Hockey India League years back. Now thanks to the introduction of the women’s HIL, we will get to see a lot of talented young women showcase their mettle in the 2032 and 2036 Olympics. This platform will turn out immensely fruitful,” she added.

HIL started in 2013 with six men’s teams. It was played for five years before shutting down largely for commercial reasons. It was revived after seven years with an additional women’s league.

Recalling the success of the women’s Indian Premier League (IPL) in terms of women’s cricket’s prominence, Rani continued, “Nobody knew much about women’s cricket, but now you see, how the sport has become so popular in the nation. Through the women’s IPL (WPL), people came to know about it and have started following the sport manifold.”

With the two veterans of Indian hockey in recent years – PR Sreejesh and Rani Rampal – taking up coaching assignments, Rani also wished the ‘Wall’ Sreejesh all the success he would bring forth as the Indian junior hockey team coach.

“Sreejesh has almost 20 years of international experience. The junior team will do very well because they will get to know how to perform in a high-level pressure situation,” said Rani.

Talking of coaching mindsets, Rani said she and Sreejesh had a few things in common. “I also want to share the same knowledge and experience with the youngsters during the women’s HIL so that they can be helped emotionally and mentally. We have to bring the best out of them.”

Topics mentioned in this article

Source link

Former Indian Women’s Hockey Team Captain Rani Rampal Announces Retirement

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 09:17:02 +0000

File photo of Rani Rampal© Facebook

Former Indian women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal announced her retirement on Thursday, ending a glittering 16-year career during which she became an inspiration for her phenomenal rise from a small town in Haryana where her father worked as a cart-puller.

The-29-year-old will sign off as one of India’s most decorated hockey players after leading the women’s team to its best-ever finish at the Olympics — a fourth place at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

“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.

A clinical forward, who made her international debut in 2008 as a 14-year-old in the Olympic qualifiers that year, Rani scored 205 goals in her 254 outings for India.

She was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2020 and was also a recipient of the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award, in the same year.

She was recently roped in as the national coach for sub-junior women players.

Topics mentioned in this article

Source link

Harmanpreet Singh Becomes Most Expensive Buy On Day 1 Of Hockey India League, Sold To Soorma Club For Rs 78 Lakh

admin — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 18:39:25 +0000

India captain Harmanpreet Singh became the most expensive player on day one of the Hockey India League auction, with Soorma Hockey Club snapping the star drag-flicker for Rs 78 lakh on Sunday. All eight franchises spent heavily to acquire the services of Indian men’s hockey team core players. Abhishek became the second-most expensive buy, acquired by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for Rs 72 lakh, while Hardik Singh went to UP Rudras for Rs 70 lakh. Other notable buys from the first lot included Amit Rohidas, who went to Tamil Nadu Dragons for Rs 48 lakh while Jugraj Singh was also purchased for the same amount by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers.

Hyderbad Toofans roped in Sumit for Rs 46 lakh.

In all, 54 players, including 18 overseas players were sold on Sunday.

All eight franchises spent a total of Rs 16 crore 88 lakh 50 thousand on Day 1.

Germany’s Gonzalo Peillat was the most expensive overseas player as he was bought for Rs 68 lakh by Tamil Nadu Dragons. Netherlands’ Jip Janssen was also acquired by Tamil Nadu Dragons for Rs 54 lakh.

Among the overseas goalkeepers, Ireland’s David Harte was the top buy, with Tamil Nadu Dragons winning the bid for Rs 32 lakh.

Germany’s Jean-Paul Danneberg (for Rs 27 lakh to Hyderabad Toofans), the Netherlands’ Pirmin Blaak (for Rs 25 lakh to Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers), and Belgium’s Vincent Vanasch (for Rs 23 lakh to Soorma Hockey Club) also went under the hammer.

Indian goalkeepers Suraj Karkera and and Pawan were acquired by Team Gonasika and Delhi SG Pipers for Rs 22 lakh and Rs 15 lakh respectively.

List of top five buys on Day 1: 1. Harmanpreet Singh (IND) – Soorma Hockey Club – Rs 78 lakh 2. Abhishek (IND) – Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers – Rs 72 lakh 3. Hardik Singh (IND) – UP Rudras – Rs 70 lakh 4. Gonzalo Peillat (GER) – Hyderabad Toofans – Rs 68 lakh 5. Jip Janssen (NED) – Tamil Nadu Dragons – Rs 54 lakh

Other players sold on Day 1: 1. Gurjant Singh – Soorma Hockey Club – Rs 19 lakh 2. Mandeep Singh – Team Gonasika – Rs 25 lakh 3. Manpreet Singh – Team Gonasika – Rs 42 lakh 4. Sukhjeet Singh – Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers – Rs 42 lakh 5. Amit Rohidas – Tamil Nadu Dragons – Rs 48 lakh 6. Nilakanta Sharma- Hyderabad Toofans – Rs 34 lakh 7. Sanjay – Kalinga Lancers – Rs 38 lakh 8. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay – UP Rudras – Rs 28 lakh 9. Vivek Sagar Prasad – Soorma Hockey Club – Rs 40 lakh 10. Sumit – Hyderabad Toofans – Rs 46 lakh 11. Jugraj Singh – Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers – Rs 48 lakh 12. Krishan B Pathak – Kalinga Lancers – Rs 32 lakh 13. Shamsher Singh – Delhi SG Pipers – Rs 42 lakh 14. Jarmanpreet Singh – Delhi SG Pipers – Rs 40 lakh 15. Rajkumar Pal – Delhi SG Pipers – Rs 40 lakh 16. David Harte (IRL) – Tamil Nadu Dragons – Rs 32 lakh 17. Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER) – Hyderabad Toofans – Rs 27 lakh 18. Oliver Payne (GBR) – Team Gonasika – Rs 15 lakh 19. Pirmin Blaak (NED) – Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers – Rs 25 lakh 20. Tomas Santiago (ARG) – Delhi SG Pipers – Rs 10 lakh 21. Vincent Vanasch (BEL) – Soorma Hockey Club – Rs 23 lakh 22. Suraj Karkera – Team Gonasika – Rs 22 lakh 23. Pawan – Delhi SG Pipers – Rs 15 lakh.

Purse remaining for franchises: 1. Hyderabad Toofans – Rs 204.00 lakh 2. Soorma Hockey Club – Rs 162.00 lakh 3. Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers – Rs 144.50 lakh 4. Delhi SG Pipers – Rs 181.00 lakh 5. Tamil Nadu Dragons – Rs 196.00 lakh 6. UP Rudras – Rs 206.00 lakh 7. Kalinga Lancers – Rs 257.00 lakh 8. Team Gonasika – Rs 161.00 lakh. PTI APA PDS PDS DDV

Topics mentioned in this article

Source link