In Sundargarh, hockey is more than a sport. It is a tradition woven into everyday life, passed from one generation to the next and providing a pathway for countless youngsters to dream of representing India. From its villages and dusty playing fields have emerged some of the country’s finest hockey players.
Among the latest talents from this celebrated hockey belt is Sunelita Toppo, a 19-year-old from Kukuda, whose speed, agility and fearless attacking style have made her one of the most promising young players in Indian women’s hockey.
Her journey to play for the national team is remarkable because it began far from modern sporting facilities. Her first hockey stick was locally made, and the village ground was her first training centre. Today, the girl from Kukuda wears the Indian jersey and has already established herself in the senior national set-up.
Sunelita was born on April 11, 2007, to Suresh Toppo and Neli Sunita Toppo in Kukuda village of Rajgangpur block. Hockey was all around her while growing up. Village tournaments were common, and children regularly played the game.
In 2015, when she was just eight, Sunelita watched girls playing hockey during a village fair. Fascinated by the speed and excitement of the game, she returned home and told her father that she wanted to play. Her family encouraged her, and soon a simple wooden stick became her first piece of equipment.
Early road was not easy
With the help of local hockey enthusiast Dominic Toppo, Sunelita learnt the basics and trained with other youngsters. After about a year, she tried for admission to the prestigious Panposh Hockey Hostel. She was not selected, partly because of her short stature.
For a young girl who had just discovered hockey, the rejection was heartbreaking. She temporarily moved away from the sport. But the passion did not disappear.
A year later, she returned to hockey with renewed determination.
The turning point came in 2018 when Sunelita was admitted to the Sports Authority of India training centre in Sundargarh. Under coach P.K. Sarangi, her natural talent began to develop into a serious sporting career.
She progressed through school and academy competitions before representing her institution at national-level events. Her performance at the 2022 National Games in Gujarat brought her into the national junior system and eventually earned her a place at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
From a Daily-Wage Worker’s Family to Captain of Bharat
Hailing from tribal dominated Sundargarh district, 16-year-old Sweety Kujur, whose extraordinary rise from a modest village family to captain of India’s Under-18 women’s hockey team has become the nation’s hearththrob.
She demonstrated her passion for hockey at 6th Under-18 Women’s Asia Cup Hockey Championship in Japan, held in June, where the Indian women’s team secured a bronze medal. And last month (July), she led U-18 team to clinch the silver medal in the Youth Hockey Asian Championship, held in Muscat.
Sweety made her international debut in remarkable fashion. She was not only selected for Bharat for the first time but was also entrusted with the responsibility of leading the team.
A Dream Born in a Village
Sweety’s father, Kamal Kujur, is a daily-wage labourer, while her mother, Leoni Kujur, is a homemaker. The family has lived with modest financial resources, but economic hardship never prevented her parents from supporting their daughters’ sporting ambitions.
The youngest of four sisters, Sweety was introduced to hockey through her elder sister Khushboo Kujur, who is also training at Panposh Sports Hostel in Raurkela.
Sweety’s speed, attacking instincts and determination soon attracted attention at the grassroots hockey centre in Kesramal.
Her breakthrough came in 2024 when she was selected for the prestigious Panposh Sports Hostel. Under coach Peter Soren, she developed her technical skills, fitness and tactical understanding. Strong performances in sub-junior national competitions eventually earned her a place in the national camp and, later, India’s Under-18 squad.
Being selected for India was already a dream come true. But Sweety received an unexpected honour—she was named captain.
She admits she never imagined leading India in her first international tournament. Her leadership qualities, however, had impressed the selectors and coaches. During the national camp, she developed a strong bond with her teammates and demonstrated the ability to communicate, encourage and unite the group.
For Sweety, leadership means more than wearing the captain’s armband. It means standing beside teammates when pressure is high, motivating them and leading by example.
Coming from a humble family
background, her parents have high hopes for their daughter for a turnaround in family status. At 16, she is not eligible for any job, but her talent is certainly a passport for a better life. At the tender age of 16, she is very clear about her priority: to make her mark at the senior level. Her determination and spark in her eyes reveal she means it.
Hockey India had already taken note of her progress. In April 2023, at just 16, Sunelita was selected for the senior women’s national coaching camp. Hockey India described the move as an important step in the development of the promising youngster from Kukuda.
Her international breakthrough came in junior hockey. She represented India in South Africa and was part of the team that won the Junior Asia Cup in Japan in 2023. She also featured at the Junior World Cup. The transition to senior hockey followed soon afterwards. Her senior international debut came in 2024, and she has since become an increasingly familiar name in the Indian squad. Her performances in the FIH Pro League and other international assignments have strengthened her credentials.
Her rise has also been recognised in the Hockey India League. Sunelita was bought by Delhi SG Pipers for Rs 24 lakh and became one of the notable young Indian players in the league. She was subsequently part of the SG Pipers squad that won the 2025-26 Women’s Hockey India League.
For someone who started with a locally made stick in a village, the journey represents an extraordinary transformation.
“Sunelita is an exceptionally talented player. With her speed and ability to beat opponents, she can create havoc in the opposition circle,” he says. Her formative coach P.K. Sarangi also sees something beyond physical ability. “She is a girl with tremendous determination and confidence. She is very competitive and keeps her morale high in every situation,” he says.
Sunelita’s development has also mirrored the transformation of hockey infrastructure in Odisha. When she began playing, mud grounds were the norm in many villages. Today, artificial turf has reached deeper into the state’s hockey heartland.
“When I started, we played on mud grounds. Now young players begin on turf itself. There are turf grounds even near my village,” she says.
Her own game has evolved too. Initially, a midfielder, she was later moved into the forward line. The transition demanded new skills—timing runs, finding space, reading defenders and making decisions inside the circle.
