Tag Archives: Neelam Siddiqui

Mother of India’s hockey sensation Mumtaz Khan says her daughter equal to 100 sons

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Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH :

Mother of India's hockey sensation Mumtaz Khan says her daughter equal to 100 sons
Mumtaz Khan of India Women’s team in action against Wales during Junior Hockey WC (Image: HI)

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) April 4 (ANI):

India stunned Germany in the Junior World Cup Hockey pool match after doughty Mumtaz Khan’s powerful drag-flick sent the ball crashing into the nets to send the girls in blue in frenzied celebrations while joys of her mother, Qaiser Jahan, who sells vegetables in Lucknow, knew no bounds.

Mumtaz Khan, 19, is now India’s new hockey sensation, taking her team to the top league while her dribble and powerplay with her stick awing the opponents.

Lucknow, the city of Nawabs and also hockey-lovers, is showering love and appreciation on Mumtaz’s family, which ekes out a livelihood as vegetable vendor.

With the hockey stick, Mumtaz Khan is not only shattering India’s powerful opponents, but also the age-old patriarchal taboos. Her mother is jubilant that Mumtaz Khan, one of her six daughters, has given a resounding slap to all those who taunted her in the past for having only daughters.

“People often made remarks that I only have daughters. Mumtaz has made us proud, and broke the social stigmas,” said Qaiser Jahan, while speaking to ANI at her vegetable shop in Lucknow.

My daughter is equal to 100 sons, said Qaiser Jahan.

While Qaiser Jahan managers to earn Rs 300 daily, she went beyond her means to support Mumtaz Khan pursue her dreams to wear the blue jersey and represent India on astroturf.

The financial strain proved insufficient for Mumtaz Khan to fly with the girls in blue to South Africa to play for the country.


Mumtaz Khan along with other under-19 Indian girls in blue is taking the team to newer heights, with a quarter-final berth sealed. Besides beating the formidable Germany by converting the penalty shoot, Mumtaz Khan had also taken India to an unassailable lead with a 3-1 scoreline with a brilliant field goal in the 41st minute against Wales in the FIH Women’s Junior World Cup at Potchefstroom in South Africa. India finally won the match 5-1.

Her father Hafiz Khan, a vegetable vendor, has all been supportive of Mumtaz Khan’s passion for hockey.

Mumtaz Khan’s journey as a hockey player began when she went to Agra to participate in a race and was spotted by Neelam Siddiqui who trained her at KD Singh Babu Stadium’s Sports Hostel.

“I feel very proud that my daughter is playing for the country. We are getting a lot of respect because of her,” said Mumtaz’s mother.

“I feel proud that my sister is an international hockey player. Despite poverty, our parents have raised us to make us capable to do something for ourselves,” said Farha Khan, Mumtaz’s sister. (ANI)

This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> India / by ANI / April 04th, 2022

Indian Junior Women’s Team’s Forward Mumtaz Khan helping her parents, who work as vegetable vendors in Lucknow

Sports, , ,

Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH :

Lucknow :

The story of young Mumtaz Khan, who plays as a Forward for the Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team, is one of hardships, grit, determination and great potential. The 17-year-old who hails from the city of Lucknow happened to choose hockey only by coincidence but has become one of the brightest prospects for the country after putting in impressive performances in the last couple of years.

Speaking from her home, Mumtaz reminisced her early days. “I believe it was in the year 2011 that I was spotted at one of the races I was participating in for my school. It was Neelam Siddiqui who was present on the occasion and told my father that he should put me into the sport of hockey. I didn’t really know much about the sport back then because I was so young, but as I started watching and playing it, I started developing a real interest,” said the teenager who was eventually enrolled into the Lucknow hostel in 2014 and started training under Siddiqui.

“I feel it was just a coincidence that Coach (Siddiqui) found me there in Agra, and the rest that has followed has been due to the hard work that I have put in,” she added.

Mumtaz, whose father and mother work as vegetable vendors in Lucknow, has many goals in mind and one of them is to help her family. “I do come from a very humble background so one of the factors in me playing hockey was that I might be able to help my parents. I have been fortunate enough to have represented the Indian Junior Women’s Team and have always aimed at giving my all on the pitch, and I am hoping that it can translate into a bright future for us off the field,” expressed the 17-year-old.

Lauded for her efforts by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi at the 3rd Youth Olympic Games 2018, where her 10 goals helped India in securing the Silver Medal, Mumtaz says she wants to aim for bigger things but is looking to take it one step at a time.

“I know that whatever I have done so far is nothing as compared to what I want to achieve in my career, so I don’t want to get too ahead of myself. I want to ensure I am taking small baby steps, and doing the right things always. I am happy to have the support of my parents and my Coaches, and my dream is to repay their faith in whatever way possible,” said the Forward who has also won the Bronze Medal at the 4th Girls U-18 Asia Cup 2016, Silver Medal at the 6-Nations Invitational Tournament 2018, and the Gold Medal at the Cantor Fitzgerald U21 International 4-Nations Tournament 2019.

The journey for the youngster has been full of ups and downs, but the 17-year-old is determined to keep shining for the country. “It is no secret that I have had difficult moments personally, and sometimes it has been difficult for my parents also, but I am glad that they have always supported me no matter what, and I can’t wait to make them happy. For that, I have very clear goals in mind, which are to perform very well in each training session and each match that I play for my country, and eventually, help my team in winning medals at big tournaments like the Olympics and the Asian Games,” signed off Mumtaz.

source: http://www.mykhel.com / MyKhel / Home> Hockey> News / by Avinash Sharma / Lucknow – August 02nd, 2020