Eliza Nelson advices Indian Women’s Hockey Team ahead of Olympic Qualifiers

Eliza Nelson, a Padma Shri Award winner and former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team, discussed her experiences in the sport and the history of women’s hockey in the 51st edition of Hockey Te Charcha, a podcast series produced by Hockey India. In addition, Eliza wished the Indian Women’s Hockey Team, captained by Savita, luck in the crucial FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024 and counseled them to focus on each game as it comes. The Ranchi 2024 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers will begin on January 13 and run through January 19. It should be mentioned that the top three teams will advance to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. “Go to the Final by taking each match one at a time. There is no other option but for us to prevail,” she declared.

India, New Zealand, Italy, and the United States are all in Pool B. In the meanwhile, Pool A will feature matches between Germany, Japan, Chile, and the Czech Republic. On January 13, India will play their first game of the campaign against the United States. On January 14, they will play a match against New Zealand. On January 16, they will play Italy in the last Pool B encounter. Eliza was born in Pune, Maharashtra, into a Goan family. Speaking about her experience, Eliza says, “I used to live close by where my then-coach Mr. Minoo Golakari lived, and he used to watch me play in the lane next to my house. It was in Pune in the early 1970s, when hockey was really popular.”Occasionally, when my sister and I would playfully knock the ball, he would observe me from a distance. He asked me, “Why don’t you join the Kayani Club?” one day. He categorized me as a right extreme since he knew I excelled in athletics in school. I joined the Maharashtra Junior team since we had places for center forward, left extreme, and right extreme back then that don’t exist now. I began with the club’s junior squad, advanced to the junior state team, senior state team, and finally my journey started”

It’s interesting to note that seven Indian women’s hockey team captains have come from Pune, home to over 26 players who have represented their country. Sportswomen have been shattering the glass ceiling in a world where obstacles still exist by rising to the occasion. Eliza shared her thoughts on the matter, saying, “We live in a completely different environment in South India, where parents always encourage their kids to go forward and play, compared to other regions in the country.” Eliza captained the Indian women’s hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1982 Asian Games, which were hosted in the crammed Shivaji Stadium in New Delhi. Additionally, she participated in the Indian team that placed fourth at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, making their debut at the quadrennial extravaganza. 

Eliza received her first call-up to compete in the Begum Rasool International Tournament in Chennai with the Indian Women’s Hockey Team. She reminisced, saying, “We were in Patiala at the time. When the news about the team selection broke, I recall that we all bolted. There was no landline or phone, so we all hurried to the post office. We had telegrams to transmit. We all ran to the telegraph office and sent letters to our loved ones informing them that we had been chosen for the team. I also recall that my club paid for my blazer at the time, which cost Rs 500.”

Eliza’s meteoric rise to fame in the early 1970s coincided with the Indian Men’s Hockey Team’s rise to prominence and national honours. When asked if she thought the men’s team was taking center stage, the woman said, “It wasn’t that the men’s team was overshadowing us.” Indeed, we were left without any tournaments for the following two years after 1975. We only traveled to Spain for the 1978 World Cup. We didn’t have many camps or exposure back then. When we first saw artificial turf in Madrid in 1978, we were ill-prepared. After our first match, we investigated the studs we were provided from the Eastern Company and discovered they weren’t appropriate. The matches couldn’t be played correctly by us. We were skating on the ground since playing on artificial turf requires appropriate footwear. Only in 1982 did we receive a decent kit.”

The only player in Indian history to have earned a gold medal in both coaching and play, Balkrishan Singh, was the renowned coach of the Indian women’s hockey team that made history in 1982 by winning the gold medal at the Asian Games. He served as head coach of the squad that won gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics and was a part of the 1956 Olympic team that took home the gold medal. “That was the first year he had come to train us,” Eliza recalled of the period the Women’s Team was under his direction. According to what we’ve been told, he joined our side since he thought the men’s hockey team would not prevail at the Asian Games. I’m not sure how much of this is accurate, but we were happy to have him here. Balkrishan Sir would constantly urge us to play well and inspire us with his remarks. Just by conversing with you, he would have an impact and raise your game.”