Salima Tete reminds former hockey captain Viren Rasquinha of the legendary Shahbaz Ahmed. This striking comparison is a breath of fresh air on a day that ended on a sore note for India women.
Vying for a first-ever podium finish at the Olympics, Rani Rampal and company went down 3-4 to Great Britain. But there's a lot to take heart from. Apart from Savita Punia's brave effort between the sticks, 19-year-old Salima stood out with her runs across the pitch, which were instrumental in keeping India in the game throughout the pulsating sixty minutes. While praising Gurjit Kaur's stinging drag-flick which helped India equalise (2-2), let's not forget how Salima cut into the D to force a penalty corner. Such sheer tenacity and steady stickwork from a teenager is only a sign of great things to come.
Salima's father Sulakshan is a proud man today. "I used to accompany Salima to hockey matches. I taught her the sport with bamboo stick. She was in school when she got selected to play for Ranchi team. She lost but we're happy about her achievement," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Salima hails from Barki Chhapar village under Sadar block of Jharkhand's Simdega district.
How did it change for Salima
Hockey Simdega president Manoj Konbegi remembers when her talent with the stick finally came to the fore. He recalled how the scouts spotted her, and urged her to appear for trials for a government-run residential hockey centre. “There was no looking back for her after that, as she was talented and got selected. With time, she improved her skills and managed to convert every opportunity in her favour,” he said.
Salima went to an elementary school in her village, and later got enrolled at a girls high school, but academics never stopped her from playing the sport. In 2019, she was eventually appointed a TTE by South Eastern Railways.
Humble beginnings
Salima is one of the five siblings. Besides her, Mahima, her youngest sister, plays for the state team. Her parents are farmers. Her father, Sulakshan, said they never forced Salima or other kids to not dream big. “I was happy when she chose hockey as her career as I could see my dream pursue through her,” he said.
The big break
Salima’s first big break came in 2014 when she was included in the state team for a sub-junior national women's tournament in Pune. The team won silver. Her international debut happened two years later. In 2016, she was part of the side for the junior nationals in Spain. And then, one accolade followed another.
She became vice-caption for national side at the U-18 Asia Cup in Bangkok, where the team clinched bronze. That same year, she broke into the senior national team, and two years later led the Indian squad at the Youth Olympics in Argentina, winning silver. “This was her defining moment and cemented her place in the national team (senior) next year and got opportunities to play regularly at national and international level,” Salima's coach Pratima Barwa said in an interview. “She was a defender and true to her character, she would never let her opponents score easily,” Barwa added.
Following her qualification in Tokyo Olympics, she became the only third player from Simdega to have done so. In the past, only two male hockey players from Simdega — Michael Kindo and Sylvanus Dungdung -- have taken part in the Games.
