From a wooden stick in Kukuda village to representing India on the international stage, the young Odisha midfielder’s journey reflects determination, talent and dreams of Olympic glory
Satish Sharma
Indian women hockey team’s gold medal Victory at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, held special significance. Ending a 44-year wait for Asian Games gold, the team scripted a memorable chapter in Indian hockey.
Among the players who contributed to this historic achievement was Sunelita Toppo, a talented 19-year-old midfielder from Odisha.
When Sunelita returned to her native village of Kukuda after the triumph, this writer met her to understand what the gold medal and direct qualification for the next Olympic Games meant to her. Her response was immediate and heartfelt.
“Winning the gold medal after a long wait of 44 years and securing direct qualification for the Olympics is like “Sone pe Suhaga” (the icing on the cake),” she said with a smile. “I have no words to express how happy our entire team is. Playing in the Olympics is a dream for every athlete in the world.
“The Indian women’s hockey team could not qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, and our senior players were deeply disappointed by that setback. Therefore, securing direct qualification for the next Olympics is a tremendous achievement for all of us.
“One of our biggest dreams has come true. Now, our focus is on delivering our best performance at the Olympics. Our goal is not merely to participate. We want to perform well on the biggest sporting stage and win a medal for our country.”
For a young woman who began her journey with a locally made wooden stick on a village playing field, those words carry the weight of a remarkable transformation.
A Village Where Hockey Is a Way of Life
In Sundargarh district of Odisha, hockey is more than a sport. It is a tradition woven into everyday life, passed down through generations.
Among the latest talents to emerge from this hockey belt is Sunelita Toppo. Her speed, agility and fearless attacking instincts have established her as one of the promising young players in Indian women’s hockey. Today, the girl from Kukuda wears the Indian jersey and has cemented her place in the senior national setup.
Sunelita was born on April 11, 2007, to Suresh Toppo and Neli Sunita Toppo in Kukuda village of Rajgangpur block. Hockey was all around her while growing up. Village tournaments were common, and children regularly played the game.
In 2015, when she was just eight, Sunelita watched girls playing hockey during a village fair. Fascinated by the speed and excitement of the game, she returned home and told her father that she wanted to play. Her family encouraged her, and soon a simple wooden stick became her first equipment.
The early road, however, was not easy
With the help of local hockey enthusiast Dominic Toppo, Sunelita learnt the basics and trained with other youngsters. After about a year, she tried for admission to the prestigious Panposh Hockey Hostel. She was not selected, partly because of her short stature. After failure to get admission she temporarily moved away from the sport. A year later, she returned to hockey with renewed determination.
In 2018 Sunelita was admitted to the Sports Authority of India training centre in Sundargada. Under Coach P.K. Sarangi, her natural talent began to develop into a serious sporting career.
She sharpened her skill at SAI centre which eventually earned her a place at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Her international breakthrough came in 2023 when she was nominated in junior hockey team to tour South Africa. She was part of the team that won the Junior Asia Cup in Japan in 2023. She also represented the country at the Junior World Cup. Her senior international debut came in 2024, and she has since become an increasingly familiar name in the Indian squad. Her performances in the FIH Pro League and other international assignments have strengthened her credentials.
For someone who started with a locally made stick in a village, the journey represents an extraordinary transformation.
Speed remains Sunelita’s biggest weapon. She may not possess the physical stature of some international defenders, but her explosive acceleration, quick changes of direction and ability to exploit gaps make her difficult to contain.
Former Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy coach Paramjeet Singh believes she has the qualities to trouble even the best defences.
“Sunelita is an exceptionally talented player. With her speed and ability to beat opponents, she can create havoc in the opposition circle,” he says.
Her formative coach P.K. Sarangi also sees something beyond physical ability. “She is a girl with tremendous determination and confidence. She is very competitive and keeps her morale high in every situation,” he says.
Sunelita’s development has also mirrored the transformation of hockey infrastructure in Odisha. When she began playing, mud grounds were the norm in many villages. Today, artificial turf has reached deeper into the state’s hockey heartland.
“When I started, we played on mud grounds. Now young players begin on turf itself. There are turf grounds even near my village,” she says.
Her inspiration remains Lalremsiami, one of India’s established attacking stars. What began as admiration has now become part of Sunelita’s own journey as she increasingly shares the responsibility of leading India’s attack.
At only 19, Sunelita has already travelled an extraordinary distance—from a village fair in 2015 to international hockey, from a simple wooden stick to the national jersey, and from rejection to recognition.
Yet her biggest dream remains unfinished.
“Every athlete wants to participate in the Olympics. I have the same dream,” she says.
Yet there is another wish close to her heart.
Sunelita is currently the only player from Odisha in the Indian women’s team. Although she shares a good relationship with her teammates, she would like to see more players from her home state join her at the Olympics.
“I have very good friends in the team, but I wish that more players from Odisha would be part of the team at the Los Angeles Olympics,” she says with a smile.
(The author is a Senior Sports Journalist. Views expressed are personal.)