"It's rare that both genders are getting equal treatment": Savita Punia
Indian veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia expressed her views after the inaugural edition of the women's hockey India league.
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Savita Punia (Photo credit: Hockey India)
Savita Punia, the former India captain, was adjudged as the best goalkeeper of the inaugural edition of the 2025 Women's Hockey India League in Ranchi last week.
"We waited for such a league for a long time," said Punia in a conversation with The Bridge. "It was a very entertaining league and we enjoyed it more than expected."
Equal Treatment
Hockey India returned with the franchise-based league after a seven-year hiatus, while also introducing a women's event for the first time. The two competitions ran simultaneously in two separate locations.
Punia believes the HIL was a much needed step for the development for women's hockey in the country.
"We thanked Hockey India a lot as it offers a good experience as all junior, senior, and overseas players play it together," she said. "The players get to learn a lot from not only our own country players but also from top foreign players.
"For example, Yibbi Jansen of the Netherlands was teaching the Indian rising star Deepika," she added.
The 34-year-old goalkeeper remarked it is "rare" that both genders get equal importance from a sports federation in the country.
"I can say that we are going in the right direction," she said. "Hockey India treated all of us equally whether it's men or women it feels good not only to us but for our families as well.
"It's rare that both of them are getting equal treatment," she added.
The electrifying crowd support
Held at Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, the stadium was packed almost on all match days for the women's hockey India League.
"It is a very good feeling when you play in your own country and the whole stadium is fully packed," said Punia. "Ranchi is such a place where hockey gets a lot of love.
"I played nationals in Ranchi in 2011 but I told my family that I had never seen such a crowd before," she added.
Punia, however, maintains that the league must travel to other cities in the country to attract more fans to the sport.
"When we were told that the league is Ranchi, we were happy as everyone here knows hockey and they want to watch these matches. But, I will be very happy if the sport travels to many cities alongside Ranchi and Odisha," she said.
It has been almost 17 years for Punia on the international circuit and she is still amongst one of the first names to be included in the starting XI. She shared her secret to stretch such a long career.
"My family support is the key for me to pursue such a long career," she said. "Even after the marriage, my in-laws have never stopped and always supported me to continue this sport.
"They have never asked me when I will stop playing and it's the biggest motivation," she added.
WHIL is a platform to attract young players
The first edition of the WHIL was a big success with most of the players in the leading goal-scorer charts being youngsters and many different Indian players marking their names on the scoresheet.
Punia showed a path for youngsters: "For all the kids, who know that there is such a league where you can play, it's a good motivation. They have a defined pathway of moving to the national team by gaining good experience playing with international players."
"This [HIL] is the best platform for all the girls as whenever you enter the sports there are lots of doubts about the future or the financial aspect. But this is a good example for the parents to think that sports can be a career," she concluded.
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