Bhopal: Hailing from Poonch, a remote district in Jammu and Kashmir located just 8 kilometres from the Line of Control, where opportunities in sport are scarce, 16-year-old Akshra Dutta has carved her way into Hockey India’s ongoing U-18 National Coaching Camp at SAI, Bhopal.
Akshra earned this opportunity courtesy of her impressive showing at the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026 Division ‘C’. Representing Hockey Jammu and Kashmir, she scored four field goals in the tournament, finishing as the second-highest goalscorer in her division. Her contributions played a key role in her team topping Pool B and securing promotion to Division ‘B’ for the next season.
Behind her rise is a deeply rooted sporting environment at home. Her father, Santosh Kumar Dutta, is a professional gymnast who first introduced her to sport and continues to be her strongest pillar of support. Her mother is a government school teacher, her grandfather is a retired army personnel and her sisters in the family are actively involved in sports as well, creating a culture of discipline, ambition and patriotism within the household.
Reflecting on her journey, Akshra said, “When I was around seven years old, my father took me to the ground and asked me which sport I wanted to play. That day, I chose hockey, and since then, I have been playing the sport regularly. My father has always been my biggest support and motivation.”
Coming from a region where pursuing sport is often met with skepticism, Akshra had to overcome social barriers early on. “In the beginning, people around me used to say that playing sports is a waste of time and that nothing would come out of it. But my parents always believed in me. Their support gave me the confidence to continue and work harder towards my dream of playing for India,” she shared.
“I played the Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship for the first time in 2022 in Manipur and although my performance wasn’t the best at the time, that tournament gave me confidence that I can pursue hockey professionally and give my best and play for India in the future,” she added.
Being a forward herself, Akshra draws inspiration from former Indian forward Vandana Katariya and shared how she has been her role model growing up. “I remember watching a match with my father on TV where India was playing against Argentina. Vandana ma’am was playing. My father told me to observe her skills and learn from her. Since then, I have followed her closely and tried to improve my game by watching her play. I really enjoy her game and some day wants to score goals for my country the way she did.”
Speaking about her experience in the camp so far training under coach Rani, she said, “Before coming here, I did not realise how important it is to enjoy the game while playing. Training under Rani ma’am has been an amazing experience. She has taught me discipline and how to play with confidence, but most importantly she has taught me to enjoy my hockey and play freely.”
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