Gurjit Kaur Helped India Reach Historic Olympic Hockey Semifinal

Indian women's hockey is building a remarkable record on the world stage, and Gurjit Kaur stands among the players driving that momentum. She has been part of Indian teams that brought home medals from major international events and was a key contributor when India reached the Olympic semifinals for the first time.

Gurjit Kaur was born on October 25, 1995, in Miadi Kalan, Amritsar, Punjab, into a family of farmers. She has an elder sister named Pradeep Kaur. To give their daughters a better education, their father Satnam Singh sent them to a boarding school in Kairon, located in Tarn Taran district, about 70 kilometres away.

Kairon was known as one of the oldest and most renowned hockey nurseries for women. It was there that the sisters found their passion for the game. Their hockey skills earned them admission to the school's government wing, which provided free tuition and food, easing the burden on their financially struggling parents.

Gurjit remained at Kairon until 2011. She later moved to Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women in Jalandhar to continue her studies and training, and it was there that she began focusing on drag-flicking. Subsequently, she secured a junior clerk position with Indian Railways in Allahabad.

Following strong domestic performances, Gurjit earned a place in the Indian team in 2014 and has been a regular member ever since. A defender by position, she is also a drag-flicker. She has netted 86 goals in 137 matches for India.

Gurjit was a member of the Indian side that won silver at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. She was also part of the squad that claimed bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Additionally, she played in the teams that won gold in the 2018 Asia Cup and bronze in the 2022 Asia Cup.

Her other achievements include silver at the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, gold at the 2022 FIH Nations Cup in Spain, and gold at the 2016 South Asian Games held in Guwahati.

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, she scored the only goal in the match against Australia, which helped India reach the women's hockey semifinals for the first time.

Nearing the age of 31, Gurjit continues to play actively and has emerged as a major role model for young players.