28.07.2020: Ishika Chaudhary is just 20-year old. Full of energy and enthusiasm, the Gwalior lass looks forward to next step in her career. Will winning the forthcoming Junior Women’s Asia Cup be a game changer?
She thinks so. The medio who picked up the hockey stick early in her life and famed product of Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy, says,
” My immediate goal is to win the 8th Junior Women’s Asia Cup and secure our berth at the 2021 Junior Women’s World Cup. I think securing that win would be a great reflection of how much we have developed as a team.”
Ishika, daughter of a school teacher, started playing hockey in 2011. Within two years, she could make it to the Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy’s Junior team for the Ranchi Junior Nationals (2013) which bagged the silver. Her stakes shoot up seriously from there. The next few years saw her become an integral part of the Junior and Sub-Junior teams, and win the gold at the 4th Hockey India Sub-Junior National Championship 2014 in Pune, bronze Medal at the 6th Hockey India Sub-Junior National Championship 2016 in Rohtak.
“I feel it was a really nice break for me to have started off at such a great academy where we have a very good environment for hockey. It made sure that I could participate in top national tournaments and also excel at the same time.”
Ishika idolizes both India’s Reena Khokhar and the FIH Women’s Player of the Year 2019 Eva de Goede.
She graduated to the senior ranks at the academy in 2016, the team bagged the bronze at the 2016 Bengaluru Nationals. From there she was picked up for the Junior India camp, and the youngster from Gwalior hasn’t looked back ever since. “When I look back, I think that selection for the Senior Nationals was one of the turning points in my career. It paved the way for my Junior India call-up and I am so happy that I have been able to perform well for my country since making my junior debut in 2017 at the Australian Hockey League (Women),” said Ishika, silver medalist of the 3rd Youth Olympic Games 2018.
Ishika’s CV now boasts of her gold at the Cantor Fitzgerald U21 4-Nations Cup, 2019 held in Ireland, the 3-Nation Cu 2019 held in Australia, silver at the 6-Nations Invitational Tournament 2018 held in Belgium.
“Like any other youngster, my eventual dream is to play for India and win a lot of trophies including medals at the Olympic Games. But at the same time.” The immediate task of course is Jr Asia Cup.”
Photo: K. Arumugam
21 Comments
Creative story
India needs more Young talent like her☺️
Ishika Chaudhary will definitely be a game changer in the next Asia Junior Cup
Excellent
Ishika will turn out to be a game changer
I wish you to get success in your hockey life
She will be one of the best players of future Indian team
Very inspiring story and Ishika’s dedication , passion & hard work become completed her dream
She is a great player ,
One of the best player, she get her dream
She will achieve her dreams definitely 🙂😊
She will achieve her dreams definitely ☺️
She will do her best in Asia cup ☺️
You will achive your goal definitely
I wish you will get success in your future
Excellent. India need for more and more telented players like her
She’s worth it
Ishika choudhary will Difinlenty be a game changer in the next Asia junior cup.
Nice to read your story post me
She is a great player
A stick with a feeling of joy watching the game every time the focus on the ball is the game planner’s attack and defense of the player enjoying the defense ..God bless her
Thank you for your words coach Sir–editor K. Arumugam