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‘My Father Has Had A Few Sleepless Nights…’: Deepika Opens Up About Her Journey Following Selection In Indian Squad For Asiad

By IANS News September 07, 2023 • 11:22 AM View: 1001

Sub Junior National Championships: Deepika, who hails from Hisar, Haryana, picked up a hockey stick in 2012 on her way to wrestling practice with her brother, and after years of hard work, she has made the cut for the Indian Women's Hockey Team, that will compete in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.

"My family has always been supportive of my hockey career; even though a lot was said about me when I first started playing, my father never let it reach my ears," the 19-year-old said of her early hockey days, before adding, "And after my first Sub Junior National Championships in 2017, they started motivating me even more, their belief in me was visible."

Deepika's initial appearance with the Junior Indian Women's Hockey Team as a forward was to the Youth Olympic Qualifiers in March 2018. She has since competed in the FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup 2021 in Potchefstroom, South Africa, where her team finished fourth, as well as the Women's Junior Asia Cup team, where India won Gold.