India, Jan. 22 -- Before becoming a well-known name in Indian women's ice hockey, Padma Chorol's sporting journey began on the speed skating tracks of Ladakh. In a region where opportunities for girls were limited and facilities almost non-existent, Padma became trailblazer in course of her decade-old career on ice. Padma is a current India international and the assistant captain of the UT Ladakh women's ice hockey team.

Sport ran in the family. Padma's brothers - Nawang Stupdan and Tainang Dorge (an Army ice skating player) - played a decisive role in her journey, which began when she was just 10 years old. Their constant encouragement pushed Padma towards competitive ice hockey at a time when girls were rarely seen competing on such a ...