The small kid we all saw at the Gurgaon Senior National Championship in 1989 – that is well 20 years from now — is well and kicking around on the turfs. Though it is also a fact that both her son and daughter are also on the turfs, kidding with junior sticks.
Pritam Rani Siwach, whose dives and deflections inside the circle — that would definitely put whole range of Indian men’s hockey strikers into shame – has made it to Kazan Olympic Qualifier team.
What a dramatic comeback for the little dynamite, who is currently doing a coaching course in National Institute of Sports, Patiala.
The Indian Women Hockey Federation, which held the trials at Lucknow, officially announced a 22-member team from about 30 odd probables. It is though sure Pritam, many call her Jharsa ki Rani after her hometown in Haryana, is in the final 18 also.
The team will fittingly be led by Mamta Kharab, with whom Pritam played the last Senior National as captain, with Suman Bala as her deputy.
Pritam last played in the Busan Asian Games after winning Commonwealth Games at Manchester a couple of months ago. She could not play the Afro-Asian Games due to pregnancy.
After Saroj Bala made a comeback in the mid 90s – after three years gap – Pritam’s is the record. She will be playing for India after six years! What a spirit and what a mental toughness.