Rani Rampal doesn’t think much about awards; says she believes in karma
Rani Rampal’s achievement trail continues. After being honoured with a Padma Shri, she recently also won the World Games Athlete of the Year 2019. But despite all this, the Indian hockey star maintains a calm stance. Accomplishments are “motivating”, but her eyes are set on her goal for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
“I don’t think much about awards, I believe in karma, so I keep working hard and give my 100%. However, these awards always motivate me to work harder for my team and country. This is an important year for us so it feels great to start it on such a good note. I hope I can carry this good momentum with me to Tokyo,” says the captain of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team.
Rani hopes that such recognitions will boost the popularity and future of women’s hockey in India. She reasons, “The only way to boost popularity is by showing people performances that make them sit up and take notice. Awards show that our hard work is being noticed, and hopefully, the exposure and remuneration will follow.”
Currently, she is only thinking about the upcoming tournaments. “We’re in New Zealand, and will head to China next after a brief break. The big games coming up are the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy in June in South Korea, and then obviously the Tokyo Olympics,” says Rani, whose 47th-minute goal helped India beat Britain (1-0) in the ongoing tour in New Zealand.
While Rani is an inspiration for many, she looks up to boxer Mary Kom to inspire herself. “She is a mother of three kids and is still winning world championships. If she can do it, everybody can,” says Rani, who unwinds by watching movies, TV series and reading. She is also preparing for her Masters in English.
The last film Rani watched was Deepika Padukone’s Chhapaak. In fact, if a film is ever made on her life, she would like to see the actor play her. “Deepika is one of my favourite actors. I love how she does justice to the characters she plays,” she shares.
Looking back at her journey from a humble background to becoming a top sportsperson, Rani reflects, “I believe God paves the way for you when you work hard. I found the right coach who helped me with good equipment because they saw my game, and similarly, youngsters who are facing difficulties should believe that their hard work will pay. You only succeed in life when you work hard and do something new by taking risks,” she concludes.