Deep Grace Ekka

Deep Grace Ekka (born 3 June 1994) is an Indian female field hockey player.[1] She plays for the Indian Women's Hockey Team. She has been selected for Arjun award in 2022.[2]

Deep Grace Ekka
Personal information
Born (1994-06-03) 3 June 1994
Lulkidhi, Sundergarh, Odisha, India
Height 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in)
Weight 63 kg (139 lb)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Railways
Senior career
Years Team
Hockey Odisha
Railways
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011– India 261 (24)
Medal record
Women's field hockey
Representing  India
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place2018 JakartaTeam
Bronze medal – third place2014 IncheonTeam
Bronze medal – third place2022 HangzhouTeam
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place2022 BirminghamTeam
Asia Cup
Gold medal – first place2017 Gifu
Bronze medal – third place2013 Kuala Lumpur
Bronze medal – third place2022 Muscat
Asian Champions Trophy
Gold medal – first place2016 Singapore
Silver medal – second place2013 Kakamigahara
Silver medal – second place2018 Donghae
FIH Nations Cup
Gold medal – first place2022 Spain
Junior World Cup
Bronze medal – third place2013 Mönchengladbach

Early life

Deep Grace Ekka was born on 3 June 1994 in a small village called Lulkidhi in the Sundergarh district of Odisha. She is the daughter of Charles and Jayamani Ekka.[3]

She started playing hockey in school and was coached by Tej Kumar Xess (2005–06). During a round of hockey selections at her school, she was selected to join the SAI-SAG centre of the Sports Authority of India in September 2007 and started playing at state level at the age of 13. She began to be coached by Lucela Ekka and Saroj Mohanty.[3] At the age of 16, she played at the senior nationals in Sonepat.[4]

In 2011, she played at the National Games in Ranchi. She was also selected for the Junior National Camp and travelled to Bangkok for the Junior Asia Cup.[4]

She started as a defender, but her desire was to become a goalkeeper as her brother and she used to play sometimes but her uncle, who was her coach, did not allow her to pursue or practise as a goalkeeper, so having no choice she became a defender.[4]

Career
  • She has 150 international caps and has scored 3 international goals.[5]

International
  • She doubles up drag flicker defending and winning performances at the 9th women Asia cup in Japan last year.
  • Indian Hockey second match at Gold Coast 2018 against Malaysia in Commonwealth Games completed 150 international cabs.
  • Made her international debut in the Four-Nation Tournament in Argentina in 2011 in which India won Bronze medal.[6]
  • Helped India win the bronze medal in the U-18 Girls` Asia Cup Hockey Championship at Bangkok, Thailand in 2011.[7]
  • Represented Indian senior women's team in the FIH World League (Round 2) held at New Delhi from 18 to 24 February 2013.[8]
  • She was a part of the Indian team that made history by winning the bronze medal for the first time in Women Junior Hockey World Cup at Monchengladbach in Germany on 4 July 2013.[9]
  • She was part of the Indian team that won the bronze medal in the Women's Hockey Asia Cup in 2013.[10]
  • She was part of the senior Indian team that won the silver medal in the Women's Asian Champions Trophy in 2013.[11]
  • She was a member of the Indian team that won the women's hockey test series 6–0 against Malaysia held at Kualalumpur from 9 to 17 June 2014.[12]
  • She was part of the Indian women team that finished fifth in the 20th Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow from 23 July to 3 August 2014.[13]
  • She was a member of the Indian women hockey team that won the bronze medal in the 17th Asian Games at Incheon (South Korea) on 1 October 2014.[14]
  • She was a member of the Indian women team that finished seventh in the Hawkes Bay Cup Tournament, held at Hastings in New Zealand from 11 to 19 April 2015.
  • She was part of the Indian team that won the FIH World League Round 2 in New Delhi in 2015.[15][16]
  • She was a member of Indian women hockey team that won five matches, drew one and lost two on its South Africa tour, which took place from 20 February to 1 March 2016.
  • She was a member of the India team that finished sixth in the Hawkes Bay Cup Women Hockey Festival, held at Hastings in New Zealand from 2 to 10 April 2016.[17]
  • Completed her 100th international cap in India's final group stage match against Australia on her 22nd birthday at the FourNation Women Tournament at Darwin in Australia on 3 June 2016.[18]
  • She was selected for Rio Olympics 2016, Brazil.[19]

National
  • Helped Odisha win the title in National School (U-17) Hockey Championship in 2009.
  • Helped Odisha finish runners-up in the Hockey event of the Women's National Sports Festival at Bhopal in 2010.
  • She was a member of the Odisha team that finished 3rd in the inaugural Hockey India Senior National Championship at Sonepat in 2011.
  • Represented Odisha in 34th National games at Ranchi (Jharkhand) in 2011.
  • Selected by Hockey India to join the Senior National Women coaching camp to be held at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadiumin New Delhi from 27 December to 15 February 2011.[20]

Award
  • Arjun award, 2022[2]

Other information
  • On 26 July 2016, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed Odisha Mining Corporation to provide her a special incentive of Rs 10 lakh for participation in Rio Olympic Games.
  • Odisha government on 10 October 2014 announced a cash award of Rs 75,000 lakh for Deep Grace for helping India win women's bronze medal in the 17th Asian Games at Incheon.
  • Odisha Cricket Association on 2 October 2014 announced a cash award of Rs 10,000 for Deep Grace for helping India win the bronze medal in the 17th Asian Games at Incheon.
  • On 11 August 2014, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited felicitated with a cash award of Rs 1 lakh for helping India win bronze medal in the 2013 Junior Women HockeyWorld Cup in Germany.[20]

References
  1. "Four Odisha players part of Olympic-bound women's hockey squad". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  2. "Odisha's Deep Grace Ekka selected for Arjuna Award". 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  3. "PERSONALITIES". Orisports.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  4. Ekka, Deep Grace (20 July 2018). "I secretly nursed the desire to be a goalkeeper | By Deep Grace Ekka". Thebridge.in. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  5. "Senior Women Core Probables". Hockeyindia.org. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  6. "Indian Women Finish 3rd In Argentina 4-Nation Tournaments". Bharatiyahockey.org. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  7. "Poonam to captain girls hockey team in U-18 Asia Cup". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  8. "Ritu Rani to Lead Indian Women's Team at World Hockey League Round 2 in Delhi". Thefansofhockey.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  9. "Indian Junior Women Team Announced For FIH Hockey Junior World Cup Women 2013". Hockeyindia.org. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  10. "8th Women's Hockey Asia Cup". Hockeyindia.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  11. "3rd Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2013". Hockeyindia.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  12. "Indian Women's Hockey Team Blank Malaysia 6–0 In 6-Test Series". Bharatiyahockey.org. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  13. "CWG 2014: Full List Of India's 215 Athletes For Glasgow". Oneindia.com. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  14. "Indian Players at Incheon Asian games 2014". Sports.mapsofindia.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  15. "Indian Women Hockey Team Announced For The Upcoming FIH World League Round 2". Hockeyindia.org. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  16. "India Beats Poland 3–1 To Win The Hero FIH Hockey World League Round 2 (Women), Delhi 2015". Hockeyindia.org. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  17. "PERSONALITIES". Orisports.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  18. "Deep Grace Ekka Completes 100 International Caps For India". Hockeyindia.org. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  19. "Rio Olympics 2016: Four Odisha players part of women's hockey squad". Sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  20. "PERSONALITIES". Orisports.com. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
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