Two-time Olympian Vandana Katariya announced her retirement from international hockey on Tuesday, bringing down the curtains on her distinguished career spanning 15 years.

“This decision wasn’t easy, but I know it’s the right time. Hockey has been my life for as long as I can remember, and wearing the Indian jersey was the greatest honour,” Vandana, who played her last match for India in the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League 2024-25 in February, said.

“But every journey has its course, and I leave with immense pride, gratitude, and love for the sport. Indian hockey is in great hands, and I will always be its biggest supporter,” she added.

A legend in women’s hockey, Vandana Katariya, who was a forward by trade, retires as India’s most-capped women’s hockey player.

The Indian hockey player scored 158 goals in 320 international matches after making her debut for India in 2009.

A key cog in India’s historic fourth-place finish at Tokyo 2020, Vandana remains the first and only Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Olympic Games. She netted three against South Africa in Japan.

She also represented India at the Rio 2016 Olympics, two FIH Hockey Women’s World Cups in 2018 and 2022, three consecutive Commonwealth Games from 2014 to 2022 as well as three successive Asian Games from 2014 to 2022.

The 32-year-old Vandana played an integral role in helping India secure gold medals at the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy in 2016 and 2023 as well as the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup in 2022.

Vandana Katariya also won silver medals at the Asian Games 2018, Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Japan 2013 and Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Donghae 2018.

Her decorated career also saw her claim bronze medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the 2014 and 2023 Asian Games and a third-place finish at the FIH Hockey Pro League 2021-22.

Katariya’s immense contributions to Indian hockey led to her being honoured with some of India’s most prestigious awards, including the Arjuna Award in 2021 and the Padma Shri in 2022.