Nagoya, India, September 22, 2026: India’s goalkeeper Savita Punia became the most-capped player in the history of Indian women’s hockey, surpassing the previous record of 320 international appearances held by former striker Vandana Katariya.
Savita reached the milestone during India’s Pool B fixture against Indonesia on Monday, September 21 at the 20th Asian Games in Japan, adding another landmark to a career already defined by longevity, composure and clutch performances under pressure, according to a press release from Hockey India.
In recognition of her achievement, Hockey India announced a cash reward of Rs. 10 lakh (US$10,438) for Savita.
Known across the hockey world as "The Wall of India" for her shot-stopping skills in open play and her nerveless record in penalty shoot-outs, the 36-year-old Savita made her senior international debut in 2009.
Since then, she has been ever-present through three Olympic Games, two Asian Games campaigns, the Commonwealth Games and multiple Asian Champions Trophy and FIH Pro League seasons – evolving from a promising young shot-stopper into the backbone and long-time captain of the Indian women’s team, before the current skipper Salima Tete took over.
Speaking after the 17-1 drubbing of Indonesia on Monday, Savita said: “I want to start by saying thank you – to my family, my coaches, my teammates and every single person who has stood by me since I was a young girl learning to save my first penalty corner. Honestly, I never thought I would reach this milestone.
“When I started, I was just trying to earn my place in the team and make my family proud. I never imagined I would one day be the most-capped player in the history of Indian women’s hockey. The record doesn’t belong to me alone – it belongs to everyone who has played alongside me, and to Vandana, too, because she set the bar and pushed all of us to reach higher.
“My biggest hope now is that the younger generation coming up sees this and believe it’s possible for them too. I want them to keep growing, keep working and keep dreaming big for Indian hockey. This game has given me everything, and I will keep giving it back for as long as I can.”