K. ARUMUGAM

India has a rich heritage of Women’s hockey. There had been a women’s league in some metros like Kolkata in the early 1920s. Their National Championship started in the late 1930s, stopped, and re-started in the 1940s.  India is pioneer in bringing hockey into the fold of Asian Games (women’s version was included when India hosted the Asiad in 1982). No surprise therefore an Indian admino, Begum Aizal Rasool, was the first president of the Asian Women Hockey Federation who adorned the chair for about two decades. However, its players who bring the sport to the forefront. This has been accomplished today once again by ever-green star Vandana Katariya.

When most hockey players from coming from select provenances whose canvas included two extremes – tribal belts or metros (Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Lucknow etc), Vandana hailed from hitherto unknown area, holy city of Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh.

Today, 31st October, she collected her record 300th international caps amidst roaring cheers and applauds. The occasion was Asian Women’s Champions Trophy being underway at Ranchi, as the team lined up for the tie against Japan.

No other Indian women could make such a long journey. The longevity of Vandana’s is a veritable copy book case of patience, persistence, commitment, dedication and simplicity. She is deservedly the first Indian women to cross the 300 label.

Her career milestones

She led India to crowning glory at the ACT 2016

1 Vandana Katariya was born in holy city of Haridwar (UP) on 15.04.1992.

2 Her family had no sporting connection at all.

3 With proper training, she emerged India’s formidable striker after getting selected for the Lucknow Sports Hostel.

4.Year 2009 was remarkable in the star’s career, as she would play for India for the first time, being member of the Junior World Cup (Argentina).

5 However, her great time came in 2011 when selected for the Asian Champions Trophy. Then came Australia tour.

6 The exuberant greenhorn’s goals helped India beat Australia in Australia after many years.

7 Since those days, she has been in the Indian team regularly.

2011 debut year image

8 Vandana scored 11 goals in 2015 to get special award in Hockey World League R2.

9 She is a fitness freak. Keeps training all the time. Trainer W.Lombard terms her ‘phenomenal athlete’.

10. She played the Commonwealth Games, the Asia Cup and the Asian Games thrice.

11. Winning Asian Games Silver was her proud moment (1998).

12 Vandana was also selected for both Rio & Tokyo Olympics.

13 After Rio, she was given captaincy. That time India won its first-ever Asian Champions Trophy gold.

14 She crossed important milestone in 2019. She played her 200th match when played against Great Britain. Only seven women hockey players in the decade have played 200 matches for India.

15. As India was struggling at the Tokyo Olympics, the striker struck a hattrick against SA in a crucial tie that saw India sailing to QF. Rest is history.

Dashing forward with an eye for scoring goals out of even half chances

16. She has been conferred with Arjuna and Padmashree awards.

17. She got the above both awards belatedly but did he never complain. She has never been in any controversy which speaks of her simplicity, honesty and commitment.

18. The legend’s amazing longevity gets her to two historical records: 1. First Indian Women hockey player to touch the magical figure 2. It naturally entails she being the most capped Indian player of all time.

19. Her Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) connection is interesting. She made her debut in 2011 Asian Champions Trophy; now playing her record SIXTH. India won the ACT only once (2016) it was undr her captaincy.  She got her 300th cap in another ACT.

20. Only Pritam Rani Siwach of Haryana (1991 – 2008) matches her in terms of longevity but her caps record is far less than Vandana’s.

Note: This writer was fortunate to witness her game right through 2009 to Hangzhou (2023), and take many photos that are exclusives.