A Star in the Making: Ten Things to know About Sushila Chanu

India's win in the Women's Hockey Asia Cup 2017 has put the country on the world map. While striker Rani Rampal and senior goalkeeper Savita have emerged as the star players, another player who has mesmerized viewers with a  stellar performance is Sushila Chanu.

Sushila Chanu is one of those determined girls who made it big in Indian hockey despite a plethora of challenges thrown at her from time to time. Her contribution to national women's hockey team is massive. What might interest you more is the fact that she also works as a junior ticket collector at the Central Mumbai Railway since 2010.

Also: Indian Women’s Hockey Coach Wants Best Environment For Team

Read on to know more about this wonder woman

Family Background

• Chanu was born on February 25, 1992 in Manipur. Her father, Pukhrambam Shyamsundar, is a driver and her mother Pukhrambam Ongbi Lata is a homemaker. She had a proclivity for sports since childhood.
• At seven while watching a football match, during the National Games held in Manipur 1999, she decided to become a sportsperson. On being encouraged by her family to take up sports, she got into hockey. She was 11 then.

Inspiration

• She was greatly inspired by Surajlata Devi, Sanggai Chanu and Tingonleima Chanu and hockey became her calling

Training

• Chanu began her training at the Posterior Hockey Academy, Manipur (PHAM) in 2003. Four years later, she switched to the Madhya Pradesh Women Hockey Academy in Gwalior to hone her skills.

Career and achievements

•  She made her junior international debut the very next year at the U-21 Asia Cup in Malaysia. She soon started to show her potential and helped the team get the bronze medals in two consecutive editions of the Four-Nations Hockey Championship in 2011 and 2012.
•  One prolific achievement of her tenure as a junior was in 2013 when she headed the team and won a bronze medal at the Junior World Cup held in Monchengladbach, Germany.
•  In 2013, she started playing for the senior national team. She contributed significantly at the 2015 Hockey World League where they reached the semi-finals.
• Chanu had a burning desire to be an Olympian. Her dream materialised when the Indian team qualified for the Rio Games as the team finished fifth in the Hockey World League, 2015.
•  In 2016, however, Chanu injured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). She underwent a reconstruction surgery but she recuperated quickly.
• July, 12, 2016 was a red-letter-day in her career. She was appointed the captain of the 16-member Indian team for the Rio Olympics.

Hats off to Chanu for showing everyone what a determined girl is slated to achieve!

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