From poverty to Padma Shri: India's hockey queen Rani Rampal shares her inspiring journey

When you think of Indian women’s hockey, one name shines the brightest – Rani Rampal. From humble beginnings in Haryana to becoming the face of Indian hockey and a Padma Shri awardee, Rani’s story is one of sheer determination, grit, and breaking barriers.In the latest episode of Game On, a sports podcast by The Times of India, host Preeti Dhaiya sits down with the Queen of Indian Hockey for an unfiltered conversation about her incredible journey. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Rani opens up about growing up in a financially struggling family. There was a time when we didn’t even have a clock at home to check the time. Her father was a cart-puller and the only earning member of the family. For young Rani, life wasn’t about luxuries; it was about survival. “Today, when I wake up on my own terms, decide what to eat, and spend my money the way I want, that freedom is real success,” she says.But how did hockey come into the picture? Rani reveals a hard truth about Indian sports: “We love sports because of passion, yes. But for most athletes like me, the biggest reason is financial security – to get a job and support our families.”Her journey wasn’t easy. She remembers a coach once telling her mentor, “This girl can never play for India.” Today, she smiles as she recalls that moment: “I feel proud that I proved them wrong.”Rani also shares a deeply personal motivation – breaking gender stereotypes. “When I was born, no one celebrated. I was the third girl in the family. I wanted to show that girls can change lives – their own and their families’.”From struggling to buy her mother a gas stove to leading India at the Tokyo Olympics and standing on the Padma Shri stage, Rani Rampal is living proof that dreams, no matter how distant, can come true.