Udita Duhan doesn’t often have the opportunity to sit still, surrounded by silence and constrained by her thoughts. For now, she is a vital cog in the wheel of Indian hockey. His calendar is jam-packed with games, camps, sponsored deals, filming and media interactions. His life is hell for leather, on and off the grass.
However, this was not always the case.
In 2015, Udita’s world was at a standstill. The air around his house in Hisar was heavy as he returned from the junior national camp. She was informed that two weeks before, her father, Jasbir Singh, had died. This information had been hidden before, for fear that it would affect his training.
Coping with Personal Loss
“It is difficult to get out of this abyss. You have this sinking feeling. The feeling that everything has been taken away from you. It’s all over,” Udita recalls.
The most courageous are those who face the catastrophe head on. Geetha Devi, Udita’s mother, now had a task to do. As a housewife, Geetha’s biggest task then was to ensure that each of her three children – two girls and a boy – grew up to become successful human beings.
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“My journey was the way it was thanks to my mother. She continues to bless me, to believe in me. And as soon as she started believing in me, I started believing in myself. To be honest, after my father left, I started working three times as much as before. I had to play at senior level. There was no choice. I had to do something for my family. Until 2019, it was all about finding a job for myself. As the eldest, I had responsibilities. This situation gave me strength. Looking back, I find it hard to believe it myself, but yes, I succeeded,” says the defender.
From the highs of a fourth-place finish at Tokyo 2020 to the painful lows of Team India not making the Paris Olympics, Udita has seen it all. | Photo credit: Getty Images
From the highs of a fourth-place finish at Tokyo 2020 to the painful lows of Team India not making the Paris Olympics, Udita has seen it all. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Udita’s determination earned her a place in the senior Indian team two years later. And since then, she has never had to look back. From the highs of an unprecedented fourth-place finish at Tokyo 2020 to the painful lows of Team India not making the Paris Olympics, she has seen it all.
She was also part of the teams that won back-to-back Women’s Asian Champions Trophy (WACT) titles in 2023 and 2024. Udita reveals her mantra: “Mindset is everything. Especially in sports. As we knew, we won the Asian Champions Trophy last time. But we had to believe we could start again. At a certain point, we no longer see the obstacles and we only see the finish line.
Udita is also a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, having stood on the podium at Birmingham 2022. The fact that hockey is one of the many sports that would not find a place in the Glasgow 2026 program saddens the player. 27 years old. “I obviously felt bad, not just for us but also for the upcoming players. It is one of the major tournaments. It is only in tournaments like CWG, Asian Games, Olympics, Pro League and World Cup that we get the opportunity to play against European teams. We were the most beaten by these nations. So the more we play, the more we learn. In Asia, we are good. Everyone thinks about participating in the Olympic Games, but to be there, you have to participate in these tournaments,” she says.
Tiger Roar
Udita’s leadership skills were on display during the 2016 AHF Cup when she led the Indian Under-18 team to a bronze medal. This, coupled with the fact that she does not shy away from playing a flexible role on the field of play, may have given Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers enough reason to appoint her captain ahead of the inaugural edition of the Indian League. women’s hockey. Moreover, Udita became the most expensive player sold at auction, ahead of Paris Olympics top scorer Yibbi Jansen for a whopping sum of 32 lakh!
“I didn’t expect so much. My expectations were around ₹15-20 lakh,” says Udita.
A technical glitch arose while the bidding process for Udita was underway, which momentarily scared her into thinking she would remain unsold. She eventually stopped watching the TV broadcast, but her IndianOil teammates, who were in the team van with her after an inter-departmental national championships game, continued to keep her informed. “With each offer, I became more and more afraid about the final price. I never thought I could reach the highest bid. When it happened, I was shocked and thought, “Is it really me?” “. They (her IndianOil teammates) were so happy. My mother watched the show on repeat. Whenever she feels like it, she posts this video on YouTube.
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But doesn’t a higher price come with higher expectations? “Yes, expectations are increasing. You also need to understand your responsibilities. If Shrachi is spending this much money on me, I have to show them that they are spending the right money, and you know, on the right player. Besides the responsibility, it is also a great opportunity for me to showcase my skills.
Just what the doctor ordered
And Udita, so far in the league, has been right. She rallied the Tigers, relentlessly prowling the baseline and mauling anyone who managed to slip into the circle. She was most threatening when she donned a rider’s protective gear during the penalty turns.
She is enjoying her stay in Ranchi, where the HIL is taking place. She believes: “The best thing about leagues like HIL is that new talents come through this platform. Otherwise, more often than not, we tend to focus on the national teams. Other players are automatically sidelined. During the national championships, as many international players are present, the focus is largely on them, and we do not look at the emerging talents who will shape the future of the sport in the country. HIL provides the best stage for national talents to shine and make a name for themselves. They will automatically be able to attract the interest of spectators, selectors and Hockey India.
The Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium, where the matches take place, is packed to capacity almost every day. | Photo credit: Santadeep Dey
The Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium, where the matches take place, is packed to capacity almost every day. | Photo credit: Santadeep Dey
Udita says she has already noticed many positive changes since the birth of HIL-W. She says: “The HIL has already done a lot of good. First, the auction took place, then the WACT took place. A lot of people are watching us now. This tells us that they want to support women’s hockey. It has become a means by which women’s hockey reaches new heights. In a franchise league, all Indian players play for different teams, and each of those teams will have fan clubs. This is all for the people. This is the best opportunity for us women to do our best for women’s hockey and bring the crowds to the stadium.
The Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium, where the matches take place, is packed to capacity almost every day. Adding to the buzz is the fact that entry has been made free by Hockey India, in its efforts to popularize the league.
Udita celebrated her birthday on Tuesday with her team’s first league victory. After the full-time siren sounded, she stopped briefly to look at the sky. She would have loved to believe that her favorite person had just given her the greatest gift.
