As the Indian women’s hockey team begin their tour of Germany and the Four-Nations tournament in Spain, there will be a focused 20-year-old from Panposh in Rourkela who wants to be the best she can possibly be. Jyoti Chhatri, who was recently part of the Junior Asia Cup winning squad, was named as one of the nine midfielders in the 20-member squad for the tours.

She was already one of the names in the core group for the senior women’s national coaching camp held in April and seems to have done enough to make it to the squad. If she gets a chance to prove herself on this tour, she could well be in the reckoning for the squad that goes to Hangzhou for the Asian Games in September.

Chhatri is yet another example of a budding athlete who knows how to keep their head down, learn as much as possible, go about their business, up-skill and then, rise through the ranks. She had grown up watching her brother Suraj Singh Chhatri play hockey and realised early in life that the sport was her calling too. It took some time and a lot of patience but Chhatri’s abilities compelled her family to back her wholeheartedly. Since then, Chhatri has let her stickwork do the talking.

“While my brother got permission (to play) early, I had to wait because I was the youngest and also, a girl,” said Chhatri in a conversation with Scroll. “When they found out that I did have the potential and that I could indeed make it big, they too changed their mindset. They started to support me after hearing from my coaches and since then, we have never looked back.

“Eventually, there came a time that they nearly started working harder than me. A lot of times. I used to feel drained, but it was their support that pushed me.”

In 2014, Chhatri joined the Rourkela Sports Hostel and performed in several domestic competitions before she began her training at the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre, where she honed her skills further. She trusted her experience at the domestic level to come in handy when she was going to appear in the junior team trials but knew that she had to level up when she breached the junior set-up.

“After joining the junior core group and in order to enter the national and international team, I had to work even harder because the level of play at the domestic level is very different,” Chhatri explained. “At the domestic level, you can play with passion but after joining the national team, formation is of utmost importance. Every player must be really aware of the team’s plan and have the confidence to execute it. The coaches would guide me in that regard, polish my technique and I’d follow their advice to a tee.”

Growing in confidence

Throughout the journey from Rourkela to the Indian women’s senior team camp, Chhatri underwent a professional and personal transformation. She grew as a player but also progressed from being a second-guessing, under-confident player to a secure and confident individual.

“I honestly did not have the confidence when I was growing up in Panposh,” admitted Chhatri. “Even when my name was announced for the senior team trials, my confidence was a little low because practicing with [seniors] for two weeks, staying together at the camp was difficult... they are big players after all. So, you are conscious about every move of yours.

“It was important that I stop worrying about what others were doing. Kaun kya kar raha hai, kya nahi, mere se acha kar raha hai ya nahi, mujhe usse kuch farak nahi padna chahiye. It didn’t matter what anyone else was doing, or if anyone else was doing better than me. I only had to focus on my game.”

Even as Chhatri made the transition from a junior to a senior in the national set-up, she learnt to navigate through the intimidation and awe.

“In 2013, when I had not even joined the hostel, I remember being one of the only two females in a team full of males,” she recalled. “That was the time I started to truly believe in myself. If others believe that I can do it, I certainly can. It was then that I decided to become very serious about my dream of playing hockey and building a future for myself only through this sport.”

The happy place

Like several athletes, the field is her safe and happy place. She is introverted off-the-field but the way she carries herself on the field is a conscious, well-thought out decision.

“Whatever happens off-the field, in my life or at home, my mind is at ease the moment I step on the field,” she said. “Main ground mein chali jaati hu toh mujhe kuch aur yaad nahi rehta.”

“I prefer to be really serious on the field. Of course, I enjoy while playing but I can’t be casual during practice or during the match. I know this also stems from my wish to win at all times. Mujhe haarna pasand nahi, mujhe jeetna hi hota hai toh uske liye aise khelna zaruri hai.”

The decision to be 100 percent dialed in while training or playing can also mean that an athlete ends up taking a lot of pressure and being a little too hard on themselves. Chhatri too went through that but was able to navigate that, courtesy her coaches, team-mates and her mother Suman Singh Chhatri.

“When I was playing the Junior Asia Cup, I felt a bit of pressure,” Chhatri said. “I felt like I had a responsibility to do well and more than the juniors now that I have been part of the senior team. But I spoke to the other seniors about how I was feeling and they helped me figure it out. I then went in confidently and we played well as a unit.”

She added: “I think it also helped that [head coach Janneke Schopman] was there to guide us. A lot of times, players tend to take it negatively when the coach tries to help you course-correct. But I believe that it is important to take into consideration the good and bad both when they are guiding you. Janneke is very direct with her methods and presents a straightforward way to deal with a situation the next time.”

Pinhas Das, the assistant coach at the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre, who has seen Chhatri from close quarters asserted that she, indeed, appreciates constructive criticism and feedback.

“What stands out about Jyoti is her interest and ability to adapt,” Das told this publication. “In a one-on-one session, she will come to me and seek advice on how to work upon mistakes or find tactical solutions to problems.

“Often times, when you scold kids at the academy, they can take it negatively. But for a player to be able to recognise why they are being scolded, have the will to rectify, how to sort it stems out from a positivity and she is driven by that extra effort. That is why she has been able to rise through the ranks,” he added.

Her primary goal is to help the team in Germany and Spain, with an eye on the Asian Games squad. However, her ultimate dream remains to lead the Indian team someday and play at the Olympics.

“I am a little nervous kyunki aisa nahi hona chahiye ke main upar ka sochu but neeche ka dhyaan na du,” she said, mentioning being wary of missing out on the fundamentals while aiming high. “I don’t want to miss out on my first step simply because I was aiming for too much. It has to be one step at a time, but the goal is clear.”

Chhatri may still love her ‘me’ time and solitude but she no longer second-guesses herself. Now equipped with the confidence, Chhatri has already crossed an important milestone in her promising journey.