BHOPAL: At a national camp in the city, Nausheen Naz, 15, is training alongside prospective players who have several kits. Naz borrows gear. Her father Ahfaz Khan, who earns a daily wager of around Rs 250 a day, cannot afford to buy her a proper hockey stick.
There is no kit. There is no safety net.But the girl from Madhya Pradesh’s Sioni is India’s hottest women’s hockey forward, closing in on a place in Japan’s U-18 Asian Cup squad from May 29.
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Go beyond boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Four years ago, she began her journey in a cramped, roofless rented hut in Seoni, about 380 kilometers southeast of Bhopal. A discarded and broken hockey stick became her tool. Khan, 48, said: “Without complaining, I tied it with a piece of cloth, then tied it again when it split, and continued playing.”
Noushin’s only goal: to play for India
The breakthrough happened in 2023 when she was spotted by MP Hockey Academy. Training, diet, equipment – it all follows. “The academy has been a lifeline for her, providing her with equipment and training that I could not provide,” her father said.Soon dreams turned into numbers. At the 16th National Junior Championships in Rajgir, Bihar earlier this month, Naz tore apart defenses – nine goals, the top scorer and the best player in the final. Khan watched, overwhelmed.
“I was in tears when I saw her today,” he said. He was unsure of her pursuit due to extreme poverty, but now he stands firm against social rejection due to her training clothes. “If anyone stops my daughter, they will confront me first.”Naz is one of seven siblings. Hunger, space and money remain daily constraints. However, talent and dedication continue to open doors. Her younger sister Saparika entered the academy after a talent search.The story of hockey in India has long drawn its strength from small towns and the hardwood. From dusty fields to national camps, many of its best stars grew up from humble homes where sport competes with survival. Nas fits that breed – raw, uncompromising, unfiltered by excellence. “I have only one goal: to play for my country,” she said, looking at the Asian Cup.