Sumrai Tete: From Humble Beginnings to Leading Indias Womens Hockey Team

Simdega, November 14 (Daily Kiran) : Sumrai Tete, a name synonymous with Indian women’s hockey, hails from Simdega, Jharkhand—a region often referred to as the nursery of hockey in India. Many players from this area have made significant contributions to the national team, and Tete is among the most notable.

Born on November 15, 1979, in the village of Kasira Merongtoli, Tete grew up in a modest tribal family. Her father, Barnabas Tete, and mother, Santoshi Tete, faced financial hardships. Despite this, Tete’s passion for hockey blossomed during her school years, inspired by her uncle, Simón Tete, who was also a hockey player. Her parents supported her ambition, even with limited resources.

In her early days, Tete played hockey with makeshift equipment, using bamboo sticks and leather balls. As she honed her skills, she began excelling in local competitions. Coaches Theodor Khes and Jageshwar Manjhi recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue better training. This led to her admission to the Bariyatu Girls’ Hockey Center in Ranchi, where she trained under Coach Narendra Singh Saini starting in 1990.

For six years, from 1990 to 1996, Tete dedicated herself to rigorous training at the center, receiving a modest scholarship of 1,200 rupees. Despite the financial strain, her father managed to send her 500 rupees monthly. In 1997, she secured a job with Indian Railways, which improved her family’s financial situation, but she continued to excel in hockey.

Tete made her debut for the Indian team in 1995 and eventually became its captain, marking her as the first woman from Jharkhand to lead the national women’s hockey team. Under her leadership, the team achieved remarkable success, including a historic gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Her performance during the tournament was exceptional.

Throughout her career, Tete contributed to several significant victories, including a bronze medal at the 2002 Champions Trophy in Johannesburg, gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the 2003 Asian Games in Busan, and the 2004 Asia Cup in New Delhi, among others. She also led the team to a silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Unfortunately, Tete’s career was impacted by a knee injury during practice in 2006, forcing her to step back from international hockey. However, she transitioned into coaching after retiring as a player. From 2011 to 2014, she served as an assistant coach for the Indian women’s hockey team and has trained teams in Jharkhand and Indian Railways. Currently, she is the coach of the South Eastern Railway women’s hockey team and remains actively involved in various hockey-related initiatives.

Having played over 100 international matches, Sumrai Tete was honored with the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award by the Government of India in 2017, becoming the first female hockey player in the country to receive this prestigious recognition.