Beauty Dungdung is back with Indian women after a two-year recovery from a severe knee injury in 2023. The forward’s return comes as the team prepares for the FIH Hockey World Cup qualifiers in Hyderabad. Her comeback follows not only a lengthy rehabilitation but also the death of her father during her injury period.
“It took me about two years to make a comeback,” Beauty said. The injury kept her in rehabilitation for months, leaving her uncertain about her return to international hockey.
During that time, her father died. “My father passed away during my injury period. I was going back and forth between home and the camp, and so much was happening at once,” she said. “There were times when I really doubted if a comeback would even happen.”
Beauty grew up in a small village in Jharkhand, where her family struggled financially. When she was five, her father carved her first hockey stick out of bamboo because they could not afford one. He later worked as a daily wage laborer in other states to support her sporting ambitions.
“When Papa was here, I had a lot of support,” she said. “Now, I have to do everything myself.”
Employed by Indian Oil, Beauty is now the primary provider for her family. She supports her brother’s family, funds the education of her niece and nephews, and cares for her mother, who is partially paralyzed and experiencing memory loss.
“It gets stressful sometimes because Mummy is partially paralyzed, and her memory is fading. She forgets things easily,” Beauty said. “I explain things to her again and again, but she still asks me, ‘When will you come home?’ My mind naturally goes to her when I am away.
“If I think too much, I will be the one in trouble, so I put all my focus into the game. It feels good to be able to help my family financially. I just try to manage it from both sides.”
She also relies on teammates for support. “I have friends in the team, so I share my feelings with them. Even before a match, if I am feeling low, I tell them honestly that my mood isn’t great today, so please motivate me. The team really helps.”
Beauty has since returned to competition, playing in the Asian Champions Trophy and the recent Hero Hockey India League.
