After making her senior India debut in 2012 and amassing more than 150 international appearances, veteran hockey midfielder Namita Toppo opted to retire on Thursday.
Toppo, a 27-year-old native of Odisha's Sundargarh District, competed for India and earned bronze and silver medals at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, respectively.
"The last 10 years have definitely been the best years of my life. I had a dream to play for my country at the biggest stages and I am so happy that I have been able to achieve my dreams," Toppo said in a Hockey India release.
"I hope I have made a huge impact and I am very thrilled to see the way the Indian Women's Hockey Team has progressed in the last decade. I will keep cheering and supporting for the team while I move on to a new chapter in my life."
Toppo is an employee at Panposh Sports Hostel in Rourkela. Her performances in domestic events led to her selection for the U-18 Girls Asia Cup in Bangkok, Thailand in 2011, where India earned a bronze medal. She first represented her state team in 2007. In the first FIH Champions Challenge I in Dublin in 2012, she was chosen to represent the senior national team.
At the 2013 FIH Women's Junior World Cup in Mönchengladbach, Germany, she competed for the Indian junior team, which took home the bronze medal. Toppo competed in prestigious events such as the FIH Women's World League Round 2 in 2013, when India won the gold medal, and the 3rd Women's Asian Champions Trophy, where India brought home the silver medal.
She competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2014 Asian Games, where India won a bronze medal, and the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The two-time Asian Games medalist was congratulated by Hockey India for her contribution to the nation's game.
"Namita has a made a humungous contribution to Indian hockey. Apart from giving everything on the field, Namita has also been a perfect role-model for the youngsters in the team," national team chief coach Janneke Schopman said.
"Not many players get a chance to play 168 matches for their national teams and Namita has earned each one of those caps. Apart from being a great hockey player Toppo is one of the kindest people I know. She is very thoughtful and she always put the team first."
