Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Aizawl: Lalremsiami Hmar made history on November 13. She became the first sportsperson from Mizoram to receive the prestigious Arjuna Award. President Droupadi Murmu presented the honor at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports selected the 26-year-old athlete back on August 18.
Hailing from the Kolasib district, Lalremsiami started her journey early. Teachers spotted her talent. She joined the state-run hockey academy at Thenzawl in 2011 when she was 11. By 2016, she moved to the National Hockey Academy in New Delhi. Her national debut occurred at the Junior Nehru Hockey Tournament in October 2011.
She climbed the ranks quickly. She joined the Under-18 team for the 2016 Asian Cup. Her senior national team debut followed in 2017. That same year, she won the Asia Cup. She later became the first woman from her state to compete at the Olympics. She helped the team secure fourth place at the 2020 Tokyo Games. During the 2019 FIH Women's Series in Japan, she played through personal tragedy. She stayed with the squad after her father, Lalthansanga Zote, passed away. India won that tournament and qualified for the Olympics.
She earned the International Hockey Federation's Women's Rising Star of the Year award in 2020. Her trophy case grew with a 2022 Asian Games bronze and gold at the 2026 Asian Games. She also grabbed Asian Champions Trophy titles in 2023 and 2024. The Mizoram government showed its appreciation for these feats. Officials "announced a cash reward of Rs 40 lakh each for Lalremsiami and fellow Mizo player Lalthantluangi" for their role in the Asian Games gold medal win on October 2.
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