Rani Rampal is an Indian field hockey player who has served as captain of the India women's national field hockey team. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished women hockey players from India, she plays as a forward and is known for her speed, ball control, and ability to convert from set pieces. She led the Indian team to a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the country's best-ever result in women's hockey at the Olympics.
| Full name | Rani Rampal |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 December 1994 |
| Birthplace | Shahabad Markanda, Kurukshetra district, Haryana, India |
| Sport | Field hockey |
| Position | Forward |
| National team | India (senior debut at age 14) |
| Role | Former captain, India women's national team |
| Major honours | Padma Shri (2020), Arjuna Award (2016), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2020) |
| Olympic appearances | Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 |
Rani Rampal was born in Shahabad Markanda, a small town in the Kurukshetra district of Haryana known for producing several Indian women hockey players, owing largely to the Shahabad Hockey Academy. Her father worked as a cart-puller, and the family lived in modest circumstances. She joined the Shahabad Hockey Academy as a child and trained under coach Baldev Singh, who has mentored several India internationals.
Rani made her senior debut for the Indian national team at the age of 14, becoming the youngest player to represent India in the senior women's hockey side at the time. She first drew international attention at the 2010 FIH Women's World Cup held in Rosario, Argentina, where she finished as the tournament's top goal-scorer and was named Young Player of the Tournament. India finished ninth at that World Cup.
Rani was appointed captain of the senior national side in 2016 and led the team across major events including the Asian Games, the Asia Cup, the FIH World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics. Under her captaincy, India achieved several firsts, including the gold medal at the 2017 Women's Asia Cup and the semi-final at Tokyo 2020.
Rani Rampal's career is regarded as a turning point for women's hockey in India. Her rise from a small town in Haryana to leading the national team has been credited with inspiring a generation of young girls to take up the sport. The team's performance at Tokyo 2020 under her leadership prompted significantly increased public attention and institutional support for women's hockey in India. A hockey stadium in Raebareli was named in her honour, reportedly making her the first active Indian sportswoman to have a stadium named after her.
Rani has spoken publicly about the financial hardship of her early years and the role of the Shahabad Hockey Academy and coach Baldev Singh in her development. She is employed with Indian Railways under their sports quota.