In Pune, Namrata, a mother of teenage children Manav and Saloni, was active in school’s coaching and, in later years, became president of the Women’s Hockey Association of Maharashtra.

Her energy and passion in coaching her alma mater St Joseph’s high school, Pashan, provided the buzz to women’s hock ey in Pune, which sadly hasn’t produced another player of class since she retired.

Namrata remembers with pride, the blazer that she wore at Moscow — the only time India’s women’s team qualified for the Games.

“The excitement of boarding the aircraft bound for Moscow, getting off at the airport… just the enormity of the whole thing hit real hard,” she said. “Putting on the identification badge and heading towards the village set the tone of what was to come. It was serious business there.

“I was gripped nervousness as we reached the village, knowing that all that we had worked for was to be put into action,” she reminisced.

Sadly Moscow, hit by the boycott led by the US protesting against the erstwhile Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, was a denuded field. The Indian women got off to a fine start (2-0 over Austria and 4-0 over Poland) only for their campaign to be derailed in unexpected fashion.

“We thought we had it in the bag but our loss to Czechoslovakia and Russia and a draw against Zimbabwe threw us out of contention, Namrata recalled.

“We finished fourth. It’s a disappointment I still live with — so near and yet so far,” she lamented. The glory went to Zimbabwe — a team assembled just 35 days before the Games and one that never ever played on an artificial surface. Namrata said a great sadness fills her when she learned that neither the Indian men nor women will be in action in Beijing.

“After the men failed to qualify, the women provided a glimmer of hope. However, with no representation at all, even to watch hockey on TV will be depressing.

“I just hope, for the sake of the game I love so much, the necessary changes will be made to once again bring us back into contention for the highest honour you can attain.”