HIL: Ranchi Royals’ Beauty Dung Dung and Sangita Kumari aim to captivate the home crowd as Hero HIL returns to Ranchi

~Beauty Dung Dung and Sangita Kumari, both homegrown champions, believe the hockey lovers of Ranchi will support their team~

New Delhi, December 19, 2025: As the Ranchi Royals prepare for the second season of the Hero Women’s Hockey India League (HIL), which kicks off on December 28, two young stars from Jharkhand are buzzing with excitement at the opportunity to represent their home franchise in their own backyard.

Sangita Kumari and Beauty Dung Dung made their debut in India in 2021 and there is no looking back. The duo represented their country at major international events, with Sangita scoring 30 goals, while Beauty contributed with 6 goals. Now, the two are embarking on a new journey with their home franchise: Ranchi Royals in the Hero HIL.

Eagerly looking forward to the campaign, Kumari, who was part of the Indian team that won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, said: “It’s a proud feeling to play on my home turf. It’s always a special occasion to play in Ranchi. Especially now that I’m representing the Ranchi Royals. The crowd here loves hockey and that makes it exciting for the players too. For me personally, it will be extra special because my family will also come to watch the matches.”

Echoing these sentiments, Dung Dung also shared her excitement to represent her home franchise. “Every time we play a match in Ranchi, it is always very busy because there are so many hockey fans in the city. It is our home ground, so we will do everything we can to win.”

The midfielder also highlighted the impact that Hero HIL is creating by providing young players with a platform where they can collaborate with some of the best international players in the world.

“Sometimes as juniors you wonder when you will get the chance to play for the senior team, but now this competition gives junior players the opportunity to play with the top players from around the world. If we raise the standards at the highest level, the grassroots system will undoubtedly follow.”

Women’s hockey is on the rise and we want to go one step further. The Hero HIL is a great platform to do that, even for the juniors and the state players. It is a great learning experience for them – to watch and learn, not only from the women’s matches, but also from the men’s matches,” Dung Dung opined.

Invaluable experience communicating with top foreign stars

The two players also shed light on how valuable interactions from the international players benefit them in developing their game. “There is a lot that we can learn from the foreign players and there are also things that they will learn from us. So we will make them reflect on some basics and try to learn new skills,” Kumari said.

“At first we would be a bit scared, but now we approach the international players without much hesitation. When there are times when we cannot perform a skill or convert an opportunity, we get irritated. So we ask them for advice and they are happy to share their suggestions. In fact, they sometimes also ask questions,” her compatriot added.

Both players are excited at the prospect of sharing the field with Agustina Albertario and Agostina Alonso – two of Argentina’s established players who won the silver medal at the 2022 Tokyo Olympics and the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Sharing their mutual admiration for the two Argentine stars who will be part of the Ranchi Royals, Kumari said, “The Argentine players come with a lot of experience, especially Agustina Albertario and Agostina Alonso. They are great players. I am excited to share the dressing room with them and play alongside them.”

“They are a little older than us and have played more matches, so they have a lot more experience. That’s something we can learn from. The more we interact with them, the better it will be for us,” Dung Dung added.

With players like Sakshi Rana and Kanika Siwach in their side, Ranchi Royals have talented young Indian players who played at the recently concluded Women’s Junior World Cup in Chile. Kumari shared her advice for these young players joining the squad and emphasized on how to enjoy the game. She said: “For the young players coming into the squad, they have to keep doing what they are doing and enjoy the game. That is the most important thing. My only advice to them would be to support their technique and skills and do their best.”

The Hero Women’s Hockey India League starts on December 28 with the hosts Ranchi Royals taking on the SG Pipers.

All matches of the Hero Hockey India League will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3 and DD Sports. The matches will also be streamed live on Waves and the Hockey India League YouTube Channel.