Vandana Katariya's retirement ends a glorious hockey chapter

BENGALURU: Olympian Vandana Katariya called time on her much-storied international hockey career, which began from humble roots in Roshnabad in Salempur, Haridwar, when she was a teenager.Battling patriarchal societal norms and armed with dreams and talent, she stoically negotiated a road strewn with immense challenges to make it to the Indian hockey team. Deft stickwork and tactical brilliance allied with unwavering determination ensured she defied the odds. Vandana’s 15-year-old career is not just testimony to her resilience, but an inspiration for a generation of players.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!With a new Olympic cycle underway and a clutch of youngsters making their case, the 32-year-old superstar decided to call it a day Tuesday, bringing the curtains down on a glorious career which included two Olympic appearances.Vandana said in a statement on social media, the decision was made with “a heavy yet grateful heart” and one that “feels both bittersweet and empowering”.“I'm stepping away not because the fire in me has dimmed or the hockey in my tank has run dry, but because I want to bow out at the zenith of my career, while I'm still at my very best,” she said. “This isn't a goodbye born out of exhaustion; it's a choice to leave the international stage on my terms, with my head held high and my stick still blazing. The roar of the crowd, the thrill of every goal, and the pride of wearing India's colors will forever echo in my soul.”She is the first Indian woman hockey player to earn more than 300 caps and scored 158 international goals with the highlight being her hat-trick against South Africa at the Tokyo Games in 2021.She began her international journey in 2009 at the age of 17. But her talent and skill came to the fore during the 2013 Junior Women’s World Cup where she helped India clinch a historic bronze with her five-goal effort.Since then, she has been the lynchpin of India’s attack. Along with Rani Rampal, Sushila Chanu, Savita Punia, Grace Ekka and Salima Tete, she steered the women’s game into unchartered territories making the cut for the Rio Olympics and then backing it with the landmark fourth-place finish at Tokyo.The inspiration behind Vandana’s journey was her father Nahar Singh, who passed away three months before the Tokyo Games. With the team in a Covid-induced bio-bubble at that time, she couldn’t attend his funeral.Paying an emotional tribute to her father, Vandana, whose family endured casteist remarks after India lost to Argentina in the semifinals at Tokyo, in her farewell message said, "My late father-my rock, my guiding light-without you, this dream would have remained out of reach; your sacrifices and love have been my foundation. You've given me a platform to dream, to fight, and to win."While Vandana has called time on her international career, she will continue to play domestic and league hockey.“This isn't the end of my story; it's a new beginning. I'm not hanging up my stick; I'll keep playing, keep scoring, and keep inspiring in the Hockey India League and beyond. The turf will still feel my footsteps, and my passion for this game will never fade,” she said.