Given savita

Soorma Hockey Club: After an illustrious playing career, former India women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal has stepped into a new role, this time from the sidelines. In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Rani opened up about her transition from player to coach, the challenges of managing diverse personalities, her vision for Soorma Hockey Club at the Hockey India League (HIL) 2026, and what it’s like working alongside long-time teammate Savita Punia in a mentor’s role.

For Rani, retirement from playing hasn’t meant stepping away from hockey; it has meant starting all over again. “This is just the beginning of a new journey,” she says. “When one journey ends, another begins. My journey as a player has finished, and a new one as a coach has started. There’s a long way to go, but I’m very excited.”

Rani compares her current phase to her early days as a player, full of learning, curiosity, and growth. Her biggest motivation is giving back to the sport by guiding the next generation. “I want to learn everything from scratch in this role so that I can help youngsters and the new generation of players.”