India's most-capped women's player Vandana Katariya bids farewell to international hockey

Indian womenrsquos hockey stalwart Vandana Katariya has officially announced her retirement from international hockey bringing an end to an extraordinary career that spanned over 15 yearsWith 320 international appearances and 158 goals to her name Vandana leaves as the most capped player in the history of Indian womenrsquos hockey But beyond the numbers she leaves behind an inspiring legacymdasha tale of resilience quiet determination and a relentless hunger to push Indian womenrsquos hockey to greater heightsThe 32yearold forward who made her senior team debut in 2009 was an integral part of some of the most defining moments in the sport including Indiarsquos historic fourthplace finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where she became the first and only Indian woman to score a hattrick at the GamesAnnouncing her retirement Vandana who played her last match for India during the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 in February shared the mix of emotions she is experiencingldquoThis decision wasnrsquot easy but I know itrsquos the right time Hockey has been my life for as long as I can remember and wearing the Indian jersey was the greatest honour But every journey has its course and I leave with immense pride gratitude and love for the sport Indian hockey is in great hands and I will always be its biggest supporterrdquoShe extended her heartfelt appreciation to everyone who played a role in her journey ldquoI want to thank my coaches teammates support staff Hockey India my family and all the fans who have supported me over the years Every cheer every message every word of encouragement meant the world to merdquoHailing from Roshnabad Haridwar Vandanarsquos journey began like that of many young girls in Indiamdashon dusty fields with a dream far bigger than her circumstances Over the years she went on to represent India in the sportrsquos grandest arenas including two Olympic Games Rio 2016 Tokyo 2020 two FIH Hockey Womenrsquos World Cups 2018 2022 three Commonwealth Games 2014 2018 2022 and three Asian Games 2014 2018 2022Her contributions were instrumental in Indiarsquos rise in world hockey She played a pivotal role in securing Gold medals at the Womenrsquos Asian Champions Trophy 2016 2023 and the FIH Hockey Womenrsquos Nations Cup 2022 Silver medals at the Asian Games 2018 Womens Asian Champions Trophy Japan 2013 and Womens Asian Champions Trophy Donghae 2018 along with Bronze medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games the 2014 and 2022 Asian Games and the FIH Hockey Pro League 202122Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey paid tribute to Vandanarsquos contribution saying ldquoVandana was not just a goal scorer she was the heartbeat of the Indian attack a tireless worker and a leader by example Her presence in the forward line provided India with an edge especially in highpressure situations and her contributions have been instrumental in the teamrsquos rise on the global stage She has set a benchmark for future generations and we at Hockey India are immensely proud of her achievements We wish her the very best in her future endeavoursrdquoVandana was also a key member of Indiarsquos Bronze medalwinning squad at the 2013 Junior World Cup finishing as the teamrsquos top scorer and the tournamentrsquos thirdhighest goal scorerApart from representing India in multiple global tournaments throughout her career Vandana also featured in the inaugural edition of the Womenrsquos Hockey India League in 2025 playing for Shrachi Rarh Bengal TigersAmong her many achievements Vandanarsquos Tokyo Olympics heroics will always be remembered Her hattrick in a crucial 43 victory over South Africa helped India reach the quarterfinals and eventually finish fourthmdashIndiarsquos bestever performance at the GamesSpeaking about that defining moment Vandana said ldquoI still get goosebumps thinking about Tokyo The Olympics are special and that match against South Africa was one of the most emotional games of my life I just wanted to give everything for my team for my country The hattrick was special but more than that it was about proving that we belonged on that stagerdquoFor her immense contributions Vandana was honoured with some of Indiarsquos most prestigious awards including the Arjuna Award 2021 and the Padma Shri 2022 She was also recognised with Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr Award for Player of the Year Women in 2014 Hockey India Presidents Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2021 and Hockey India Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year 2021 and 2022 and multiple other accolades cementing her status as one of Indiarsquos finest forwardsHockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh also lauded her remarkable journey stating ldquoVandanarsquos journey is nothing short of inspirational From her early days to becoming a stalwart of Indian hockey she has shown exceptional skill resilience and commitment Her performances in crucial matches especially at the Tokyo Olympics will be remembered for years to come As she takes her final bow she leaves behind a legacy of resilience excellence and inspirationmdashone that will continue to guide the next generation of Indian hockey starsrdquoThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever