Star India women’s hockey player, Deep Grace Ekka, who featured in 268 matches for the country, announced her retirement on Saturday. Ekka, who made her debut in 2011, was one of the defensive head of the team in 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the team finished a creditable fourth.
In a career spanning over 10 years, Ekka was part of the Asian Games sides, that won a silver medal, and two bronze medals, to go with a bronze at the CWG 2022. Apart from that she also won Asian Champions Trophy twice, in 2016, and then in 2023.
“It is with immense gratitude and humility that I officially announce my retirement from international hockey today,” Ekka wrote on Instagram. “The journey from 2011 to 2023 has been the highlight of my life and I am deeply honoured to have represented India at the pinnacle of the sport.”
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“For over a decade, Deep Grace Ekka has been a household name in women’s hockey. Her success in hockey has been a huge inspiration for youngsters not only in Odisha but across the country. On behalf of Hockey India, I wish her the very best for the future,” Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said.
