{{Short description|Indian field hockey player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2018}} {{Infobox field hockey player | name = Ritu Rani | image = Ritu-Rani.jpg | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|12|29|df=yes}} | birth_place = Haryana, India | height = 1.58 m | position = Halfback | currentclub = | clubs1 = | years1 = | caps(goals)1 = | nationalteam1 = India | nationalyears1 = 2006–2016 | nationalcaps1 = 240 | nationalgoals1 = 16 |medaltemplates= {{MedalSport|Women's field hockey}} {{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Asian Games}} {{MedalBronze|2006 Doha|Team}} {{MedalBronze|2014 Incheon|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|Asia Cup}} {{MedalSilver|2009 Bangkok|}} {{MedalBronze|2013 Kuala Lumpur|}} {{MedalCompetition|Asian Champions Trophy}} {{MedalSilver|2013 Kakamigahara|}} {{MedalBronze|2010 Busan|}} {{MedalCompetition|South Asian Games}} {{MedalGold|2016 Guwahati|Team}} | updated = 16 December 2017 }} {{confused|Ritu Rani (footballer)}}
'''Ritu Rani''' (born 29 December 1991) is an Indian former field hockey player, who represented the India women's national field hockey team. She also served as the captain of the national team. She plays as a halfback.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eves' hockey is on the right track: Ritu Rani |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/398219/eves039-hockey-right-track-ritu.html |newspaper=Deccan Herald |date=10 April 2014 |accessdate=10 October 2014}}</ref> Rani has led the team to medal winning performances most notably the bronze at the 2014 Asian Games. Also under her captaincy the team qualified for the Olympics after 36 years after finishing fifth in the 2014–15 Women's FIH Hockey World League Semifinals.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ritu Rani |url=http://results.glasgow2014.com/athlete/table_tennis/1008690/ritu_rani.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711024614/http://results.glasgow2014.com/athlete/table_tennis/1008690/ritu_rani.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=11 July 2015 |publisher=Glasgow 2014 |accessdate=8 July 2015}}</ref>
==Early life and career== Ritu Rani was born on 29 December 1991, in Haryana. She did her schooling at the Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sr. Higher Secondary School in Shahabad Markanda, Haryana.<ref>{{cite web |title=Interview with Ritu Rani: Must improve penalty corner conversions |url=http://www.sportskeeda.com/hockey/interview-with-ritu-rani-must-improve-penalty-corner-conversions |website=Sportskeeda |date=8 December 2012 |accessdate=10 October 2014}}</ref> She took to hockey at the age of 9 and trained with the Shahbad Hockey Academy in Shahabad Markanda.<ref name="fih1">{{cite web |title=Hockey girls make Indian town of Shahbad famous |url=http://www.fih.ch/en/news-2187-hockey-girls-make-indian-town-of-shahbad |publisher=FIH |date=4 August 2009 |accessdate=10 October 2014}}</ref> Rani was employed with the Indian Railways until 2014, when she quit to join the Haryana Police.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ritu Rani: Need more jobs for women hockey players |url=http://www.sportskeeda.com/hockey/exclusive-interview-ritu-rani-need-more-jobs |website=Sportskeeda |date=6 October 2014 |accessdate=10 October 2014}}</ref> Rani trained at the Shahbad Hockey Academy at Shahabad.
==Career== Rani made her debut in the senior team in 2006, at the Asian Games in Doha. She was a part of the Indian team that played the 2006 World Cup in Madrid, and aged 14 at the time, she was the youngest in the squad. At the 2009 Champions Challenge II in Kazan, Russia, India won the tournament, with Rani finishing as the top scorer with eight goals to her name.<ref name="fih1" /> She was appointed the captain of the team in 2011. Led by her, the team finished third at the 2013 Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur and the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.<ref>{{cite web |title=India win women's Asia Cup hockey bronze |url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/report/india-win-womens-asia-cup-hockey-bronze/20130927.htm |work=Rediff.com |date=27 September 2013 |accessdate=10 October 2014}}</ref>
During the summer of 2015 when India hosted the Round 2 of the 2014–15 Women's FIH Hockey World League Rani led the team to finish on top to qualify for the next stage. She also led the side at the World League Semifinals held in Antwerp and the team finished in the fifth place beating higher ranked Japan in classification match.<ref name="verge">{{cite news |url=http://www.firstpost.com/sports/verge-olympic-qualification-indian-womens-hockey-team-arrive-grand-welcome-2329378.html |title=On the verge of Olympic qualification, Indian women's hockey team arrive to grand welcome |accessdate=2015-08-29 |last=PTI |author-link=Press Trust of India |date=2015-07-06 |work=Firstpost}}</ref> The Indian woman's national field hockey team thus qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics<ref name="chakdemoment"/><ref name="chakdeolymp">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/othersports/chak-de-indian-women-hockey-team--qualifies-for-rio-olympics/article1-1385359.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829193147/http://www.hindustantimes.com/othersports/chak-de-indian-women-hockey-team--qualifies-for-rio-olympics/article1-1385359.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 August 2015 |title=Chak De: Indian women's hockey team qualifies for Rio Olympics |accessdate=2015-08-29 |last=Bhagvatula |first=Shrikant |date=2015-08-29 |newspaper=Hindustan Times}}</ref> for the first time since the 1980 Summer Olympics under her captaincy.<ref name="chakdemoment">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f9qKU8l95w |title=Chak De Moment For India |accessdate=2015-08-29 |date=2015-08-29 |magazine=India Today}}</ref><ref name="thirtysix">{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/08/29/womens-hockey-team-_n_8057566.html |title=India Women's Hockey Team Bags Historic 2016 Rio Olympic Berth After 36 Years |accessdate=2015-08-29 |last=Bose |first=Adrija |date=2015-08-29 |work=Huffington Post}}</ref>
On qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics Rani said:
{{quote|I've been dreaming of playing in Olympics for 10 years. It is an honour to be leading this group. Many of these girls won the (medal at) the junior world cup. Exposure against top teams has taught us what to expect in Rio. Even our seniors tried to make the cut, but fell at the final hurdle, losing to South Africa in 2012. But this team is special.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sharma |first1=Aasheesh |title=Meet the first Indian women's hockey Olympic qualifiers ever |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/meet-the-first-indian-women-s-hockey-olympic-qualifiers-ever/story-IGhOhbHfuFXOzACWQPxaMK.html |website=Hindustan Times |accessdate=20 March 2016 |date=5 December 2015}}</ref>}}
==Awards, rewards and recognition== * Arjuna Award - 2016<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=149084 |title=National Sports Awards – 2016 |website=pib.nic.in |access-date=2017-08-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/hockey/hockey-indias-statement-said-ritu-rani-vr-raghunath-recommended-for-arjuna-award/article8584523.ece |title=Arjuna Award for Rani, Raghunath recommended |work=The Hindu |access-date=2017-08-23 |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216052120/http://hockeyindia.org/team/ritu-rani-2.html |title=Ritu Rani at Hockey India}}
{{India FHW Squad 2006 Asian Games}} {{India FHW Squad 2009 Asia Cup}} {{India FHW Squad 2013 Asia Cup}} {{India FHW Squad 2014 Asian Games}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rani, Ritu}} Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:Indian women's field hockey players Category:21st-century Indian sportswomen Category:Asian Games bronze medalists for India Category:Asian Games field hockey players for India Category:Field hockey players at the 2006 Asian Games Category:Field hockey players at the 2010 Asian Games Category:Field hockey players at the 2014 Asian Games Category:Field hockey players from Haryana Category:Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games Category:Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games Category:Sportswomen from Haryana Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award Category:South Asian Games gold medalists for India Category:South Asian Games medalists in field hockey Category:Field hockey players at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:Field hockey players at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games field hockey players for India Category:Asian Games bronze medalists in field hockey