"A village which once threw barbs, now embraces me a daughter" - Vandana Katariya walks into the sunset with head held high [Exclusive]

Vandana Katariya hasn't had the easiest of journeys. Yet, the formidable striker of the Indian women's team has sparked nothing short of a hockey revolution in Roshanabad.

From being taunted for playing hockey as a girl in her village to hanging up her boots as India's most-capped player, Vandana has traversed life's hurdles with courage, grace, and years of hard work.

Having announced her retirement from the game, the girl from Haridwar told Sportskeeda during an exclusive interaction that the village where she once faced taunts has now embraced her as a daughter.

"Despite all the taunts and the hurdles that I faced in my village during my growing-up years, at the present time I leave with my head held high thanks to the love and support of those around me," Vandana stressed. "A village which once threw barbs now embraces me as a daughter."

"People treat me with a lot of respect whenever I return to my village and I also get a lot of love there," she stated.

The exploits of one outstanding athlete has led to Roshanabad taking to hockey like never before with a state-of-the-art stadium facilitating the rise of the game.

"Today, there is a hockey stadium in Roshanabad and most youngsters want to play hockey more than any other sport. A huge number of people understand the game and know the rules," the 32-year-old said.

"In a place where cricket was the only game which people once followed, the achievements of the Indian women's hockey team has helped elevate the status of the game to greater heights," Vandana Katariya declared with a sense of pride ringing through her voice.

Vandana Katariya's Olympic hat-trick, in what was an absolute must-win game for India in Tokyo, brought her instant recognition after an incredibly difficult phase.

While the pandemic took its toll on the team as a whole, restricting training and practice amidst a period of uncertainty, Vandana lost her father who had been a pillar of strength right from childhood.

"I was going through a difficult time just before the Tokyo Olympics as were many others just coming out of the COVID phase. In fact, we did a lot of our training in our rooms. If someone in the area tested positive, we used to confine ourselves to our rooms and train indoors," Vandana Katariya recalled.

Following three back-to-back losses against the Netherlands, Great Britain and Germany, Sjoerd Marijne's team had their backs to the wall at the Tokyo Olympics.

Navneet Kaur's late goal helped the Indians edge Ireland 1-0 but the team needed nothing short of a win in the last league match against South Africa.

Vandana Katariya's hat-trick helped the Indians create history by beating South Africa 4-3 en route to reaching an Olympic quarterfinal for the first time ever.

"My father, who was my biggest source of strength, passed away ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. At this difficult juncture, my teammates supported me, and my Olympic hat-trick would not have been possible without them," the ever-humble striker noted.

As part of a side that clinched the 2013 Junior World Cup bronze, Vandana witnessed first hand the phenomenal growth of women's hockey in India.

The tournament in Monchengladbach was also the beginning of a lasting friendship with Sushila Chanu (who captained the Indians in the Jr WC).

"I have vivid memories of the 2013 Junior World Cup. We were a jovial lot back then and playing together was fun. It's very important for a player to be happy in order for him or her to be able to perform well on the field," the Indian stalwart explained.

"It was the first time we won an international medal and my best friend, Sushila Didi (Sushila Chanu) was the captain of the team back then. We enjoyed playing each match thoroughly. We were really young at the time but we savoured the love and respect we received when we returned following the bronze medal win," she added.

Vandana Katariya also fondly recalls the 2017 Asia Cup gold and the 2022 Nations Cup win as moments that are special.

"The gold medal we won at the 2017 Asia Cup (which helped the team qualify for the London World Cup) was also very special. The 2022 Nations Cup win in Valencia, Spain which helped the Indians play alongside the elite of world hockey in the Pro League the following season was also special," she expressed even as the memories flowed.

"The 2016 Rio Olympics was also very special since it was the first time we were part of the Olympic competition. But most importantly, one thing that's common for all of us is the joy we get when playing for India for the first time," she observed with a smile.

As the Indians played the Pro League in 2022-23 and 2023-24, Vandana Katariya continued to display her prowess, gracing the field one last time during the 2024-25 season at the Kalinga Stadium earlier this year.

"It was an emotional decision and not one that was easy to take" - Vandana Katariya reflects on retirement call

Vandana Katariya cherishes her bonding with the team, particularly with Sushila Chanu (3rd from left) - Source: Savita Punia on X

Unsurprisingly, Sushila Chanu was the first person Vandana spoke to with regard to her retirement decision. The two-time Olympian had, however, made up her mind and refused to be swayed by Sushila's advice to rethink the call.

"I was contemplating retirement for 2-3 days before I came to the conclusion that it was indeed the right thing to do," an emotional Vandana disclosed. "That said, it was a tough call considering the length of time I spent with my teammates. It was an emotional decision and not one that was easy to take."

"My teammates were quite emotional when I conveyed my decision to them. I spoke to Sushila didi (Sushila Chanu), Savita Punia, Siami (Lalremsiami) and a few others. Sushila asked me to rethink the whole thing once. I did not want my mind to be swayed by talking to too many people so I stuck to my decision," Vandana Katariya stated.

Longevity has been Vandana's forte. Not many are as equipped as the star striker to highlight what it takes to not only survive but also thrive in a grueling and competitive environment.

Mental strength was the key for Vandana Katariya, as was focusing on fitness.

"The life of a player is not easy. It has its share of ups and downs. A player needs to be mentally strong to tackle personal problems and injuries that crop up from time to time," Vandana elucidated.

"Injuries give rise to anxiety and uncertainty about whether or not we will be able to make a comeback. So, sticking to a prescribed diet and maintaining fitness levels is the key to performing consistently over a long period of time," said the player who retired having represented the Indian seniors a whopping 320 times. "I would love to contribute to Indian hockey in whatever capacity I can. There is no doubt that I will remain associated with the game, that is for sure," she declared.

While Vandana Katariya's journey as a player comes to an end, her association with hockey has by no means ended.

The gritty but unassuming girl who rose above circumstances to shine on the international stage is poised to inspire many more like her even as women's hockey comes of age in India.