Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 26 (ANI): At just 22 years old, Beauty Dungdung carries immense responsibilities both on and off the hockey field. The young forward is currently training at the Indian Women's Hockey Team national camp in Bengaluru, but simply returning to the turf has been the toughest challenge of her life.

'It took me about two years to make a comeback,' Beauty told Hockey India in a press release, looking back at the severe knee injury she suffered in 2023.

For months, she was stuck in rehab, wondering if she would ever play for India again. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the heartbreak she faced off the field. Right in the middle of her painful recovery, she lost her father.

'My father passed away during my injury period. I was going back and forth between home and the camp, and so much was happening at once,' she shared. 'There were times when I really doubted if a comeback would even happen.'

Her father was her biggest hero and supporter. Growing up in a small village in Jharkhand, money was always tight. When she was just five years old, her father carved her very first hockey stick out of bamboo because they couldn't afford a real one. Later, he even travelled to other states to work as a daily wage labourer just to help fund her sporting dreams.

'When Papa was here, I had a lot of support,' Beauty said quietly. 'Now, I have to do everything myself.'

Today, Beauty is the main pillar of her family. Thanks to her job at Indian Oil, she takes care of her household. She helps support her brother's family and funds the education of her young niece and nephews. Most heartbreakingly, she cares for her mother, who is partially paralysed and struggling with memory loss.

'It gets stressful sometimes because Mummy is partially paralysed, and her memory is fading. She forgets things easily,' Beauty admits. 'I explain things to her again and again, but she still asks me, 'When will you come home?' My mind naturally goes to her when I am away.'

Balancing the intense pressure of international hockey with the emotional sadness at home is not easy. But Beauty refuses to give up.

'If I think too much, I will be the one in trouble, so I put all my focus into the game. It feels good to be able to help my family financially. I just try to manage it from both sides,' she explained.

When the sadness gets too heavy, she leans on her hockey family. 'I have friends in the team, so I share my feelings with them. Even before a match, if I am feeling low, I tell them honestly that my mood isn't great today, so please motivate me. The team really helps.'

Slowly, Beauty has found her rhythm again. She returned to the field to play in the Asian Champions Trophy and the recent Hero Hockey India League. Now, she is back in the national camp, working hard ahead of the crucial FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Known for her running and receiving skills, she is trying to build her confidence back inside the striking circle.

Beauty Dungdung is no longer just a young girl playing for fun. Every time she holds her hockey stick, she plays for her mother's care, her family's future, and the memory of the father who made her very first stick out of bamboo. (ANI)