Punjab Newsline | Sports
Fifteen-year-old Nausheen Naz from Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as one of the brightest young talents in Indian hockey, turning heads with her remarkable performance at the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026. Displaying exceptional finishing skills, the young striker netted nine goals to finish as the tournament’s top scorer, marking her arrival on the national stage with authority.
Currently training at the U-18 National Coaching Camp in Bhopal, Nausheen’s journey is a powerful story of grit and determination. Her introduction to hockey was far from conventional. Coming from a financially constrained background, she could not afford basic equipment. At just 10 years old, inspired by her elder sister Tahoor Naz, she picked up a broken hockey stick from the ground, got it repaired with a nail by a local blacksmith, and practiced with it for an entire year before receiving proper gear through a day-boarding program.
Her path, however, was not just shaped by financial struggles but also by societal barriers. In her community, girls stepping out to play sports were often discouraged. The pressure became so intense that Nausheen stopped playing for two years and helped her father, who worked as a vegetable seller and truck driver, to support the family.
A turning point came with her mother’s unwavering support, encouraging her to return to the field and pursue her passion. This led her to the Gwalior Women’s Hockey Academy and eventually to national recognition. Today, she is honing her skills under the guidance of former Indian captain Rani Rampal, an experience she describes as life-changing.
Despite continuing financial challenges, including borrowing shoes during practice, Nausheen remains focused on her dream of representing India at the U-18 Asia Cup 2026. With resilience in her heart and determination in her game, she aims not only to achieve sporting success but also to uplift her family and inspire others to break barriers.
