Rajani Etimarpu

{{Infobox field hockey player

| name = Rajani Etimarpu

| image = Rajanii pic.jpg

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|6|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, India

| height = 1.72 m

| weight = 60 kg

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub = Railways

| years1 = 2011–

| clubs1 = Railways

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| nationalyears1 = 2009–

| nationalteam1 = India

| nationalcaps1 = 96

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}

}}

Rajani Etimarpu (born 9 June 1990){{Cite web |date=2020-08-28 |title=RAJANI ETIMARPU - |url=https://indiahockey.net/rajani-etimarpu-3/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |language=en-US}} is an Indian field hockey player who represents the India women's national field hockey team. She hails from Andhra Pradesh and plays as a goalkeeper. She represents Railway Sports Promotion Board in the domestic tournaments.

Early life and education

Rajani hails from Enumulavaripalli village, Yerravaripalem mandal. Tirupati District, Andhra Pradesh.{{Cite web |last=Adivi |first=Sashidhar |date=2017-10-22 |title=The keeper of India's goals |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sports/in-other-news/221017/the-keeper-of-indias-goals.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en}} She did her schooling at Zilla Parishad High School in Nerabailu village. In 2007, she represented Andhra Pradesh in the Junior National Championship where AP reached quarterfinals. Her performance in the tournament helped her get a call to the National camp in 2008.{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=SportzCraazy |date=2022-07-26 |title=Rajani Etimarpu Biography: Achievements, Personal Life, Family, Unknown Facts & Social Media - |url=https://www.sportzcraazy.com/rajani-etimarpu-biography-achievements-personal-life-family-unknown-facts-social-media/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Sportzcraazy |language=en-US}} Prasanna Kumar of Tirupati was the first to spot her and encouraged her to take up goalkeeping because of her height advantage.

Hockey career

Rajani is one of the few Indian players who was part of the Indian team at the Olympics, World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. She took part in the Rio Olympics in 2016 where the team finished 12th. She was part of the Indian team at the XXI Commonwealth Games 2018 at Gold Coast, Australia. She was also part of the Indian team in two World Cups. They are the Vitality Hockey Women's World Cup 2018, London, and BDO FIH World Cup 2010, Rosario, Argentina. The highlight of her career is a silver medal at the 18th Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia.{{Cite web |title=Rajani Etimarpu Profile |url=https://www.hockeyindia.org/players/rajani-etimarpu-profile-254 |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Hockey India |language=en}} Earlier, she also played at the 2014–15 Women's FIH Hockey World League and the Hawke's Bay Cup 2015 held in New Zealand.{{cite web |url=http://www.sportskeeda.com/hockey/indian-womens-hockey-team-working-on-bench-strength |title=Indian women's hockey team working on bench strength |author=IANS |date=5 April 2015 |work=sportskeeda.com}}{{Cite web |title=Rajani Etimarpu |url=https://stick2hockey.com/hockey-player/ranjani-etimarpu/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Stick2Hockey |language=en-US}}

Rajani was selected as the Indian captain to lead the women's team at the inaugural the FIH Women's Hockey 5s held in Lausanne, Switzerland, from June 4 to 5.{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=2022-05-20 |title=Rajani Etimarpu to lead India in inaugural FIH Women's Hockey 5s |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/hockey/indian-womens-team-hockey-5s-rajani-etimarpu-mahima-choudhary/article38495644.ece |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=sportstar.thehindu.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |author=Scroll Staff |date=2023-12-31 |title=Hockey, 5s World Cup: Rajni Etimarpu, Simranjeet Singh to lead Indian men's and women's teams |url=https://scroll.in/field/1061433/hockey-5s-world-cup-rajni-etimarpu-simranjeet-singh-to-lead-indian-mens-and-womens-teams |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Scroll.in |language=en}} The player has 110 international caps to her credit.{{cite web |title=Hockey India – Rajani Etimarpu |url=http://hockeyindia.org/team/rajani-etimarpu-2.html |work=hockeyindia.org}}