Nikita toppo

Khelo India University Games Rajasthan: Having endured many setbacks and personal tragedies, Nikita Toppo has continued to soldier on as she captained the women’s hockey team of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) to a gold medal in the Kehlo India University Games (KIUG) 2025, being held in Rajasthan.

The 22-year-old Nikita lost both her parents when she was just five, and one of her elder brothers died in a fatal accident when she was on her way to the U-23 Five-Nations Cup in Ireland three years ago. A year later, she suffered a career-threatening injury, and soon after, her only remaining brother met with an accident and suffered a skull injury from which he hasn’t completely recovered yet.

But instead of getting bogged down by the series of setbacks, Nikita has made hockey her solace and was instrumental in helping KIIT win the women’s team gold at the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025 here in what was their first-ever appearance in KIUG.