Vandana Katariya of the Indian women’s hockey team has been the first player to gain her 300th international cap. During the Women’s Asian Championship Trophy 2023 match against Japan, where Vandana accomplished this milestone, Hockey India thanked her. Vandana, from Roshanabad, Uttarakhand, made history by being the first Indian female hockey player to score a hat-trick in an Olympic Games, clinching India’s significant fourth place in Tokyo 2020. She will also receive the coveted Padma Shri award in 2022.
Vandana Katariya rose to notoriety as the Indian team’s leading scorer at the Junior Women’s World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany. She was instrumental in India’s bronze medals in the 2016 Asian Champions Trophy and the 2017 Women’s Asia Cup. “Representing India in national and international tournaments has been a great privilege for me,” Vandana remarked, reflecting on her accomplishment. Earning my 300th cap was a memorable experience that I will remember for a long time. This trip has been genuinely amazing, and every match I play in the national shirt makes me grateful. The ups and downs of life have strengthened me.
My family’s support is invaluable, and this team has become like an extended family to me. Everyone has improved my confidence. Now, I’m concentrating on the forthcoming matches and hoping to achieve better results.”
Vandana Katariya’s extraordinary performance demonstrates her dedication and passion for the sport, motivating young athletes around the country. Her great contribution to the world of women’s hockey continues to shine, making India proud on the worldwide scene.
