The 30-year-old played 254 international matches and scored 120 goals since her debut at just 14 during the 2008 Olympic qualifiers in Kazan. She became the youngest player to represent India at the senior level.

As a tribute to her exemplary service for Indian hockey, Hockey India (HI) decided to retire her iconic No. 28 jersey on the same day. Born in Shahbad in Haryana, her father used to be a cart-puller. She made her World Cup debut when she was just 15 years old and scored five of India’s seven goals during the 2010 edition. Winning the ‘Young Player of the Tournament’ award.

Rani Rampal’s Hockey Journey is full of achievements:

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Rani formed a part of the Indian team that eventually won the silver medal at the 2009 Asia Cup as well as the bronze medal at the Asian Games in the year 2014.

From her first Olympic experience in Rio 2016, where India finished 12th, Rani’s influence grew. She was the hallmark to India’s success in the Women’s Asia Cup in 2017 and was made captain. She led her team to a silver medal at the Asian Games in 2018 and a quarterfinal berth and fourth-place finish at the Commonwealth Games.

At Tokyo 2020, Rani had a crucial role. As India edged out for a medal by a hair’s breadth to settle at fourth. She was conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Padma Shri awards that year.

However, injuries kept her bench-bound after Tokyo and ruled her out of the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Though she made a comeback to the national side in 2023, Rani was left out of the Asian Games.

In 2022, Rani became the first Indian woman hockey player to have a stadium named after her. The Modern Coach Factory Stadium in Raebareli was renamed Rani’s Girls Hockey Turf.

Rani, known as the ‘Queen of Indian Hockey,’ is now a full-time coach and mentor to the young talents. She was appointed as the coach of the under-17 national team of India in 2023. And she will be coach and mentor for Soorma Hockey Club in the upcoming Hockey India League.