Originally from Poonch, a district near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, 16-year-old Akshra Dutta has secured a spot in Hockey India’s U-18 National Coaching Camp in SAI, Bhopal. Akshra’s exceptional performance at the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026 Division ‘C’ paved the way for this opportunity. Playing for Hockey Jammu and Kashmir, she scored four field goals, becoming the second-highest scorer in her division and helping her team clinch the top spot in Pool B.
Akshra’s sporting journey is backed by a strong family sporting background. Her father, Santosh Kumar Dutta, a professional gymnast, introduced her to sports and continues to be her biggest supporter. With a mother who is a government school teacher, a grandfather who is a retired army officer, and sisters involved in sports, Akshra grew up in an environment fostering discipline, ambition, and patriotism within her family.
Reflecting on her beginnings, Akshra shared, “At the age of seven, my father took me to the ground and asked me to choose a sport. I picked hockey that day and have been playing ever since. My father’s unwavering support has always been my driving force.” Despite initial skepticism from the community about sports, Akshra persevered with the encouragement of her parents, who instilled the confidence in her to pursue her dream of representing India in hockey.
Having participated in the Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship in 2022, Akshra gained the confidence to pursue hockey professionally and aspire to play for the national team in the future. Drawing inspiration from former Indian forward Vandana Katariya, Akshra aims to emulate her role model’s success on the field. Training under coach Rani at the camp, Akshra emphasized the importance of enjoying the game while playing, learning discipline, confidence, and the joy of playing freely.
