“It is with immense gratitude and humility that I officially announce my retirement from International Hockey. The journey from 2011 to 2023 has been the highlight of my life, and I am deeply honoured to have represented India at the pinnacle of the sport. I extend my sincere thanks to Hockey India, Hockey Association of Odisha, and the Odisha Government for the invaluable opportunities they provided me. I would also like to thank the Government of India and Sports Authority of India for their unwavering support for the sport,” said Ekka in a social media post on Saturday.

The highly acclaimed player, who represented Indian women’s hockey team in 268 matches between 2011 and 2023, thanked her teammates, coaches, mentors and the support staff for their support.

Born in Sundargarh district, Ekka started playing state-level hockey matches at the age of 13. She played in the National Games at Ranchi in 2011 and got selected for the Junior Asia Cup team in the same year. Ekka was honoured with Arjun award in 2022.