India, Aug. 29 -- For the captain of the Indian women's hockey team, Salima Tete, the pride of leading India onto the field is unmatched-the anthem rising through the stadium, the tricolour waving high, her teammates beside her. "For me it is not about my name being called it is about standing shoulder to shoulder with my teammates knowing we represent the dreams of so many people and when Jana Gana Mana plays before a match it is like fuel-it reminds me why we fight so hard," she says.

As the country celebrates National Sports Day today, the 23-year-old reflects on what those moments mean to her and to the game itself. Growing up in Simdega in Jharkhand, she recalls the time change from a time where she played without basic infrastructu...