Varanasi: From a small dairy farmer’s daughter on the outskirts of Kashi to being selected in the Indian women’s hockey team, 20-year-old Puja Yadav‘s journey is a testament to the power of dreams and hard work.
She is fifth among seven siblings, including a brother. Her parents noticed her interest in hockey when she was young and ensured that their limited earnings did not come in the way of her progress She will be first woman player from Varanasi to carry forward the legacy of dribbling wizard Padam Shri late Mohd Shahid, Olympians late Vivek Singh, Rahul Singh and Lalit Upadhyaya.
On Tuesday, Gangapur township on the outskirts of Kashi erupted in joy after Puja’s name was announced for the Australia tour a day before.
“It’s the sacrifices of my parents and their blessings that enabled me to achieve this milestone,” said Puja, the midfielder who is currently camping in Bengaluru before departing to Australia on April 20.
At their single-room home behind the cattle shed with some buffaloes, her parents, Mahendra Yadav and Kalavati Devi, were all smiles as they gave all the credit to the hard work and dedication of their daughter.
Puja, who used to watch videos of forward-line players like Lalit Upadhyaya for inspiration, said she will leave no stone unturned to meet the expectations of everyone, especially her team. She said her ultimate goal is to reach Olympics.
“Since her childhood, Puja used to watch the boys playing hockey at Gangapur Inter College ground. At a young age, she started playing with them,” recalled Mahendra.
Her first coach Ghanshyam Chotiwala, said, “She used to come with a group of children and play with girls. Since no girl matched her class, the boys called her to play with them and polished her skills. I noticed her progress and decided to contact a sports college coach to get her admitted to a hostel. But due to homesickness, she returned after three months and started playing here.”
To ensure that her talent was not wasted, Chotiwala took her to the Sports Authority of India’s Banaras Hindu University centre, which was shifted to the Amausi campus in Lucknow three years ago. BHU Sports Board’s general secretary BC Kapri said, “When she arrived at this centre, she was very young. But, she impressed us with her performance and consistency. The centre had 16 players, including nine playing at the national level, when the centre was shifted to Lucknow. And, Puja also came to Lucknow.”
Busy welcoming guests reaching their home to congratulate them, Mahendra and Kalavati said, “We had a limited earning and seven children. The marriage of four daughters was also solemnised. But, on noticing the progress of Puja, we decided to make all possible efforts to meet her requirements. We ensured that our hardships did not come in the way of her future.”
Puja did not look back after reaching SAI’s Lucknow centre. Hockey Varanasi’s president Ashok Singh finds this selection encouraging for girls to show interest in the game, while secretary KB Rawat said, “She has become the first woman player to make an entry into the India team from Varanasi. She will carry forward the legacy of dribbling wizard Padam Shri late Mohd Shahid, Olympians late Vivek Singh, Rahul Singh, and also Lalit Upadhyaya.”
Puja was informed about her selection over phone. The 26-member women’s squad for the five-match tour of Australia from April 26 to May 4 was announced on Monday, including five new players: Puja Yadav, Jyoti Singh, Sujata Kujur, Ajmina Kujur, and Mahima Tete. India will take on Australia A in the first two games, followed by three matches against the senior Australia team. All five matches will be played at the Perth Hockey Stadium. The Australian tour is being considered a crucial preparatory assignment before the team’s European leg of the FIH Pro League 2024-25, slated to be held in June.
