While referring to Odisha’s hockey history, everyone talks about their male players like Dilip Tirkey, Prabodh Tirkey, Lazarus Barla...the list is endless. Women players aren’t mentioned probably because they haven’t risen to such international prominence.

All this could change in the near future, thanks to Mumbai man and former India goalkeeper Edgar Mascarenhas Jr, who was appointed coach of the Odisha women’s team in March last year and guided them to the Senior National title in Bhopal in May the same year, for the first time in the state’s history. He also helped the team, which comprised as many as five U-18 players, win a bronze medal at the U-21 Khelo India qualifiers.