Coming from a family of wrestlers and kabaddi players, Deepika Kumari was always expected to take up wrestling. Indeed, her father enrolled her in the sport at the age of 11, even though the Indian women’s hockey team’s star forward and drag-flicker never liked it. www.telecomasia.net
Originally from a village in Hisar, Haryana, Deepika was pushed into wrestling by her father, as her grandfather, uncle, and brother were all wrestlers. But fate had other plans for her. www.telecomasia.net
On her way to and from the wrestling arena, Deepika would walk past a hockey ground — a daily journey that turned into a blessing in disguise.
By her own admission, while heading to wrestling training, she would often stop for long periods to watch children playing hockey. The sport gradually captured her attention, and the rest is history.
Deepika had no prior knowledge of hockey when she started, but her coach, Ejas Singh Malik, quickly spotted her potential.
A drag-flicker-striker combination is rare in field hockey, but Deepika has broken that stereotype—thanks to her coach.
Deepika, who idolises Argentina’s star forward Maria José Granatto, has now set her sights on next year’s Asian Games and the World Cup. She believes the upcoming FIH Pro League season, starting in July, will be a key stepping stone.
