Forced retirement from hockey at age 18, Nirmala Dagar fulfills her passion as an umpire

From being a promising state-level hockey player and having her dream of playing for the national team crushed due to early marriage, Nirmala Dagar has rekindled her love for the sport in a completely different role. Encouraged by her husband, the 34-year old is a hockey referee and has now been selected to officiate in the 28^th South-East Asian Women’s Hockey tournament in Singapore.

Let’s rewind back to the 90s when Dagar was making her way into the national hockey scene. Born and brought up in Gurgaon, Dagar represented Haryana and Delhi, while still in school, until 1999.

However, at the tender age of 18, when most sportspersons’ careers reach a critical point, Dagar had to quit the sport as she tied the knot on the insistence of her parents.

But, her association with hockey did not end there. In 2006, seven years after quitting the sport, she started again, but this time as an umpire.

“Due to some personal issues, I had to give in to my parents' demands and got married at 18. I had to quit hockey soon after. However, after seven years (in 2006), I started again as an umpire,” she revealed.

“My aim is to encourage more girls to play and excel in Hockey”

She explained that her coach and her husband encouraged her to take up umpiring while she wants to set an example for young girls.

“In 2006, my coach encouraged me to take up umpiring as a career, which may help me achieve success at the international level. I am glad that my dreams have come true,” Dagar said.

“My husband encouraged me to re-start my career in hockey. Now, my aim is not just to do extremely well in the field of umpiring, but also to encourage more and more girls in the city to play and excel in the sport.”

Nirmala Dagar has officiated many national and international women’s hockey tournaments in her 9-year career so far. She was one of the referees at the Asia Cup in 2007, the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy in 2012 and Hockey World League 1 and 2 in 2013 and 2014. Now, she has another feather in her cap with the announcement that she will be officiating in the 28^th South-East Asian Women’s Hockey tournament in Singapore from June 6 to June 14.

District Sports Officer, Roshini Devi expressed her delight at local girl, Dagar’s success. She said, “We are proud of Dagar's success. She has been my student for a long time. It was disheartening for us when she left hockey and couldn't even pursue her graduation.

“We, therefore, guided her to take up umpiring as a career, as no degree or diploma is required for pursuing a career in umpiring. One just needs to have a good understanding of rules and regulations in the game, which comes through experience only.”

While Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia will participate in the women's tournament in Singapore, Denmark, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are to compete in the men's tournament.