Bichu Devi Kharibam (born 3 December 2000) is an Indian field hockey player and a member of the Indian women's hockey team.[1] She hails from Manipur. She plays for Indian Oil Corporation Limited in the domestic hockey tournaments. She is a goalkeeper.

Bichu Devi
Bichu Devi at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics
Personal information
Full name Bichu Devi Kharibam
Born (2000-12-03) 3 December 2000 (age 24)
Manipur, India
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
Senior career
Years Team
Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy
2022– Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
National team
Years Team Caps Goals
India U21
2022– India 38 (0)
Medal record
Women's field hockey
Representing  India
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Hangzhou Team
Asian Champions Trophy
Gold medal – first place 2023 Ranchi
Gold medal – first place 2024 Rajgir
FIH Nations Cup
Gold medal – first place 2022 Spain
Youth Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2018 Buenos Aires Team

Early life

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Bichu Devi started as a football player. But when she did not make it to the local selections, her father persuaded her to go for hockey selections, and she was selected. That is how her switch to hockey happened and she initially continued playing the game with reluctance.[2] In 2015, after a good performance against Jharkhand, she was spotted by a coach and hockey umpire Napoleon Singh, and upon his suggestion, she moved to the Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy in Gwalior, where she honed her skills under coach Paramjeet Singh.[2]

Hockey career

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  • 2018: Goalkeeper Bichu Devi Kharibam played well at the 2018 under-18 Hockey5s 3rd Youth Olympics Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where India bagged a silver medal.[1]
  • 2019: She played well and was awarded ‘Goalkeeper of the Tournament’ in the 4 Nations Junior Women Invitational in Dublin, Ireland and helped India win the gold.[3]
  • 2019: She took part in the Test series against France and Belarus, and later in the same year she played well in Australia in the three-nation tournament.
  • In 2021, she was part of the Indian team that took part in the FIH 9th Hockey Women's Junior World Cup 2021, Potchefstroom, South Africa where India finished fourth.[4]
  • In 2022, she made her debut for the Senior India team against Germany in the FIH Pro League held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.[4]
  • 2022: FIH Women's Nation Cup in Spain.
  • 2022: Women's Junior World Cup match against Germany in April 2022; she bagged the 'Player of the Match' award.[5]
  • 2023: She is selected as part of the Indian team for Asian Games in Hangzhou.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bichu Devi Kharibam Profile". Hockey India. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  2. ^ a b Razzaqui, Samreen (2022-06-27). "Hockey World Cup: Bichu Devi, the reluctant goalkeeper who fell in love with the sport". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  3. ^ "Kharibam Bichu Devi | India hockey player". International Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  4. ^ a b "How Bichu Devi Kharibam Has Emerged as an Exciting Goalkeeping Option Alongside Savita Punia! - Latest Hockey News ,Hockey Passion,Hockey Analysis, Hockey Interviews". 2022-04-19. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  5. ^ Judge, Shahid (2022-04-03). "Women's Junior World Cup, India vs Germany as it happened: India through to quarters after 2-1 win". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
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