Nikki Pradhan’s Personal Details
Name: Nikki Pradhan
Date of Birth: 8 December 1993
Birthplace: Hesel Village, Khunti, Jharkhand, India
Position: Midfielder
Nikki Pradhan was born in Hesel village in Khunti district, Jharkhand, about 60 km from Ranchi. She belongs to the Kharwar Bhogta tribal community. Pradhan studied at Pilaul Middle School, where she first started playing hockey under the guidance of her childhood coach Dasrath Mahto. Her early inspiration came from Pushpa Pradhan, a national-level player who visited her school and shared her journey in hockey.
With limited resources, Nikki initially made her first hockey stick out of bamboo and practiced in her village. In 2005, she joined the Bariatu Girls’ Hockey Centre in Ranchi, a well-known academy that has produced several Indian players, including former captain Asunta Lakra. After completing her 12th standard in 2010, she was supposed to leave the sports hostel but was allowed to continue staying and training due to special permission. Her strong performances in the 2011 National Games representing Jharkhand earned her a call-up to the Indian national camp in 2012.
Nikki Pradhan first represented India at the U-17 Asia Cup in Bangkok in 2011. She later played for the India U-21 team, helping them win a silver medal at the Junior Asia Cup. However, injuries briefly interrupted her progress, keeping her out of action until early 2015. Later that year, she returned strongly and earned her debut call-up to the senior Indian team after being selected for the national camp in August 2015.
In 2016, Nikki Pradhan was named in the 16-member Indian women’s hockey squad for the Rio Olympics. The tournament marked a historic moment as India’s women’s hockey team returned to the Olympics after 36 years.
Her selection was particularly significant because she became the first woman hockey player from Jharkhand to represent India at the Olympic Games. The team was led by Sushila Chanu, and Nikki played as a midfielder, contributing to the team’s campaign in Rio. Although India finished sixth in the group stage, the appearance marked an important step in the resurgence of Indian women’s hockey.
Honors & Achievements:
Olympian – Rio Olympics 2016
Bronze Medal – Commonwealth Games 2022 (Birmingham)
Silver Medal – Junior Women’s Asia Cup (U-21)
