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'It was a tough to take this decision, especially when you have played 15-16 years for the country.'
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 beating abject poverty and conservative views at 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 Delhi.
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.
Rani has also joined Soorma Hockey Club, representing Haryana and Punjab in the revamped Hockey India League (HIL), as the mentor of its women's team.
The player from Shahabad, considered a cradle of Indian hockey, rose from abject poverty to make the national team.
Her father Ram Pal, who has been her guiding force, earned a mere Rs 80 per day and could not afford to even buy her a hockey stick.
She was rejected by a district level coach for being malnourished as a child but continued to practice with a broken hockey stick that she stumbled upon in a field.
Despite the many obstacles, including initial opposition from her conservative family, Rani made the local team as a six-year-old before becoming the youngest hockey player to turn up for India as a 14-year-old.
"It was a tough to take this decision, especially when you have played 15-16 years for the country. But after much thought I felt it was the right time. Already, I have started my new innings as a mentor for the Delhi team in the women's HIL," said the forward, who has also faced some challenging fitness issues in the last couple of years.
"It was tough but finally I thought that it's time. I have no regrets in my life. But I still feel proud I got the honour to represent the country for so many years."
Rani was happy with the way her career progressed.
Under Rani's captaincy, the Indian women's team qualified for the quarterfinal of the 2018 World Cup in London and also won the silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games.
She also led the team to victory in the 2019 FIH Series Finals and was a key contributor in the Indian team's back-to-back appearance in the Olympics.
"I had a wonderful career. There were plenty of high moments as well as lows. But Rani as a seven-year-old had never thought of playing for the country for so many years, the journey would be so glorious.
"Seriously I have never thought I will play 254 games for the country and score 200 goals. All these moments will always remain with me. There was struggle too because my childhood was not that good but the passion never died. Country always came first for me."
Rani thanked her family, especially father, for supporting her in her career after she stood her ground to pursue hockey.
"There are plenty of people who supported me in my career. The family comes first. My family has seen a lot of poverty, had to struggle a lot. My father was poor but his thinking was very rich. He gave me the opportunity to play and make my name.
"My coach Baldev (Singh) sir has a big role to play in my life. I got a very good teacher. I am lucky to have a coach like Baldev sir. He guided and taught me life lessons also besides hockey.
Her only unfulfilled dream is an Olympic podium finish.
"There are plenty of changes happening in women's hockey. We never thought there will be a league for women's hockey. Girls will good exposure and financial help as well," she said.
"What I want is to see the Indian women's hockey team at the Olympic podium. I tried a lot but came very close to it. I will very happy the day Indian women's team finishes on Olympic podium and we have that capability."