RevSportz Exclusive
Hockey India recently announced a 24-member national women’s hockey squad for the upcoming FIH Pro League 2024-25 European leg, to be played between June 14 and 29 in London, Antwerp, and Berlin.
India’s campaign begins on June 14, and they’ll play twice against each of the four participating teams — Australia, Argentina, Belgium, and China.
Midfield general Salima Tete will lead the side, with experienced forward Navneet Kaur serving as vice-captain.
In the recently concluded 5-match friendly series against Australia — where India managed to win one game — head coach Harendra Singh tested five newcomers. Among them, attacking midfielder Mahima Tete impressed with her performancel, and has now been selected for the Pro League squad.
Mahima, who is also the younger sister of skipper Salima Tete, shared her Australia experience with RevSportz. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Australia. I learnt a lot from my seniors,” said Mahima. “They were extremely fast — a top side — but we fought hard and gave our all,” she added, reflecting on the challenge posed by the Australian team.
Having an immediate family member by your side in the team is always special. “I am lucky to have my sister (Mahima) in the team. It was a great experience playing alongside her — she helped me a lot both on and off the pitch,” said Salima.
She added, “Our parents are proud of us — two sisters representing the national team. What more could parents ask for? They have supported us throughout.”
Mahima hails from a remote village in the Simdega district of Jharkhand, which takes about an hour to reach from Ranchi. When asked about the reception in her village after the Australian tour, she responded emotionally: “Not many in our village know that I’m playing.”
“We don’t have enough network in our village and people are hardly connected to the internet. Apart from my own family, hardly anyone knows about me,” she added.
Head coach Harendra Singh praised Mahima in his last interaction with RevSportz. He described her as a dynamic player who can be a utility option, adapting to various situations as needed. Speaking about her coach, Mahima said, “Harendra sir is a fantastic coach. Sometimes he’s hard — but it’s much needed. He helps us in every possible way, making us understand tactics, explaining and rectifying mistakes, and guiding us through every situation.”
Now that she has been selected for the FIH Pro League squad and the team has begun their camp at SAI Bengaluru, Mahima is focused on the upcoming challenge.
“Training has started in full throttle. We have to rectify the mistakes from Australia and prepared well for the Pro League,” said Mahima. “It’s one tournament I’m really looking forward to making a mark in.”
The women’s team will play the Pro League midway through 2025, in June, and next year two major events await — the Hockey World Cup and the Asian Games — with an eye on qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
However, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder from Jharkhand is taking it step by step.
“Yes, of course, it’s a dream to represent the country in top competitions like the Asian Games and Olympics, but right now my focus is on performing well in the Pro League and bringing success to the team,” she concluded.
