Lakhani's barren land yields hockey dreams

Time of India

a day ago

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Lakhani was once a village where life revolved around a local shrine. In 2018, physical education teacher Madanlal Gadwal arrived with a plan to introduce hockey as a means for children to excel academically and athletically.
Today, over 340 girls from Lakhani play hockey, 128 competed at state-level tournaments, and 12 played at the national level. Fourteen-year-old Poonam Bajiya became the first to reach district, state, and national levels in a single year.
Observers describe this as a tale of grit, community, and a panchayat that bet big on its youth, carving out a hockey ground from barren land in 2020 and hosting a state-level competition in 2022-23.
More than 1,000 people, including players and organisers, attended. Lakhani gained recognition as a hub where determination and practical support reshaped a village's approach to sports.
Practising with a broken hockey stick passed down by her elder sisters, Poonam, 14, from Lakhani, set her sights on bigger goals. She picked up the game in 2023 while waiting for her sisters after school. Because she was too short for a standard stick, she started learning the basics with a broken one that matched her height.
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"Last year, I got my first proper hockey stick, with which I played district, state, and national level U-14 school games tournament held in Gwalior.
Now, I want to keep playing like Rani Rampal and play for the Indian team too," said Poonam.
Her trip to Gwalior marked the first time she left Rajasthan. Nervous yet excited, she managed her own laundry, food, and unfamiliar surroundings where some players spoke in English.
"It was the first time I went out of my village to another state all by myself. Our coach and other team members were also there, but it was a new experience for me. We did not win the tournament, but I met players from different states, tried to talk to them in English as they did not know Hindi, and got a chance to visit the Ujjain temple," she said.
Many girls in Lakhani enjoyed wider social exposure through hockey, meeting peers from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and several other states.
Their travel also functioned as educational tours, giving them confidence to explore places independently and fostering leadership skills.
Anju Chaudhary, 15, who finished her class 10th board exams, said, "Whenever we go out of Rajasthan, it is obviously difficult as the food, language, and culture are all different. But it is a different kind of feeling altogether to take care of us while feeling nervous, yet confident.
There is pressure to perform well in the game, but we have also experienced independence and discipline." She noted that leaving Rajasthan made the girls realise how large professional hockey grounds can be.
"When I was transferred to Lakhani in 2018, I saw that there is potential in the girls, and if convinced a little, the families will support too. Both just needed a little push, and endless opportunities were waiting for them.
It started with practising running within the school compound, and in 2020, with the help of philanthropists, a hockey ground was developed in the school campus at a cost of Rs 25-30 lakh," said Gadwal.
He added that five years ago, girls from Lakhani hesitated to travel 5.5 kilometres to Reengus, but they now confidently visit other states.
"In 2019, I made a small team and sent the girls for district-level tournaments for the first time.
After that, the girls never looked back. Their confidence level grew, some started showing leadership skills along with maintaining discipline, and they themselves started enjoying the game," said Gadwal. He recalled that the first batch in 2018-19 had to explain the benefits to their parents, highlighting how the game could improve their future and potentially lead to a govt job.
"When I told my mother that I want to play hockey, she was taken aback.
Her first reaction was, what if I broke my teeth while playing or fell and hurt myself. It took me a few days to explain to her about the game, how there are safety gears that will protect me, and how it wasn't just a game, but an opportunity for a better future, with the possibility of even securing a govt job," said Sakshi Bajiya, now in her second-year graduation and aiming for govt recruitment exams.
After 2018, many girls graduating from the Govt Senior Secondary School, Lakhani, Sikar district, pursued Bachelors in Physical Education or Arts while participating in open hockey tournaments.
Some studied in nearby colleges in Sikar district headquarters, a few enrolled in Bundelkhand University, one joined Rajasthan University, and another went to University of Delhi.
"I started playing hockey when I was in class 6th, and this game gave me a path for my future. I now know that after my graduation, I can apply for govt jobs, become a PTI like Gadwal Sir, and train children," said first-year student Monika Bajiya at a govt college in Bhopatpura.
She also observed that the sport delayed the usual marriageable age for girls in Lakhani.
Sixty-six-year-old deputy sarpanch of Lakhani, Ramkishan Verma, said that until 2010, families usually married off their daughters by 19-20, but once they saw improved prospects, they changed their perspective.
"Now, most families want their girls to complete their higher education and secure a job first. This automatically delayed the marriageable age to the mid or even late 20s.
Philanthropists have played a major role by donating equipment and helping develop the ground, but families also chip in whenever funds are required," said Verma.
Villagers' trust in Gadwal prompted him to decline a promotion offered last year, as they feared the girls would lose their mentor. "I was promoted to Grade-II from PTI this year, but accepting the promotion would have put the progress made by these girls in the past seven years in limbo. Though I will retire in two months, the villagers requested me to train the students every day for two hours each in the morning and evening," said Gadwal.
"Since 2022-23, at least 11 players from Lakhani have been a part of different state-level teams such as U-14, U-17, and U-19, and many are waiting to join," he said.