“Grateful for everything that hockey has brought,” says Indian goalkeeper Madhuri Kindo

NEW DELHI: Indian women’s team goalkeeper Madhuri Kindo, who was recently promoted from the junior team, praised the sport for giving her respect and a stable source of income in life.

Madhuri belongs to a humble farming family from Birmitrapur, Odisha, an hour’s drive from the majestic Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.

“In Birmitrapur we had two houses without concrete roofs and the only steady income in the family was that of my brother Manoj. He shouldered all the costs of building a new house for almost a year and after I received the job offer from Western Railways, I was finally able to share the burden with him. It was satisfying to be able to help my brother with the sport he introduced me to. I am grateful for everything that hockey has given me in terms of income, respect in the community and a sense of achievement,” Madhuri emphasized the significance of hockey in her life.

While her father Shankar Kindo worked the fields, Madhuri was fascinated by her brother Manoj Kindo’s hockey skills on the sidelines. Following in his footsteps, Madhuri picked up the hockey stick and joined Panposh Sports Hostel in 2012. Madhuri initially joined as a defender, but due to her athletic ability and quick reactions, she switched to goalkeeper.

After multiple appearances at the Odisha National Championships, Madhuri was called up to the Indian junior team in 2021. Her exploits at the 2023 Junior Women’s Asia Cup in Japan, where the team clinched the gold medal, caught the attention of recruiters. led to a job offer from Western Railways in Mumbai.

Besides securing a place in the Railway Sports Promotion Board hockey team, Madhuri has also made the move to the Indian team after an assessment camp at SAI Bengaluru in April this year. Although she is yet to make her senior debut, Madhuri is relishing the opportunity to train with her idol Savita.

“The difference between the junior and senior team is not that big as I have seniors in the team like Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam and Bansari Solanki to help me with my game. Watching them train intensively every day has given me more knowledge of the game at the highest level. I have a lot of room for improvement and as I strive to carve a place for myself in the squad, I am working on my weaknesses so that I can help the team win in the future. I am eager to play against the best teams in the world,” she signed off.