Kolkata: Odisha’s rugby pipeline continues to power the Indian women’s sevens programme, with four players from the state earning selection in the squad for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.Senior campaigner Dumuni Marndi (Mayurbhanj) will feature in her second Asian Games alongside Mama Naik (Keonjhar), Nirmalya Rout (Bargarh) and Sandhyarani Tudu (Baripada, Mayurbhanj).For Marndi, the selection marks another chapter in a journey that began in rural Mayurbhanj, where her sporting ambitions were initially met with resistance at home.“The last Asian Games was a huge learning experience. At that time, there were so many seniors around me that I could just focus on playing. Now there is more responsibility because I’m one of the senior players,” said the vice-captain.The quartet’s inclusion is the latest testament to Odisha’s enduring influence on Indian rugby, with Sandhyarani Tudu among a long line of players to emerge from the state’s thriving grassroots system. She took up the sport after coaches introduced rugby at her school and believes Odisha’s strong culture has been central to its success.“Rugby is doing very well in Odisha. We consistently win medals and our team bonding is very strong. That has helped many players come through,” said Sandhyarani, a fly-half known for her tackling, passing and game awareness.Former age-group captain Mama Naik has also emerged as one of India’s brightest forward prospects, while Nirmalya Rout adds leadership credentials after captaining Odisha to the 2026 senior nationals crown.But even as Odisha continues to produce national team regulars, the sport is spreading across newer regions as well. Bihar, for instance, has two players in the squad.One of them is Arti Kumari, who continues to draw inspiration from her elder brother Rahul Kumar, who died in an accident in 2020.“My brother was my biggest supporter. He always encouraged me to chase my dreams,” said Arti, who hails from Nawada.Fellow Bihar player Guriya Kumari, from Muzaffarpur, has overcome a very different challenge. The youngster battled back from an ACL injury that required two surgeries on the same leg.“There was a time when I thought I would never be able to play again,” Guriya recalled.However, she has put all that behind her and is focused on the Asiad, where India will play its Pool B opener against Hong Kong on Oct. 1 at Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium. India’s remaining two pool games will be against defending champions China and Malaysia.While head coach Paul Delport expects a stern test at the Asian Games, he is taking confidence from India’s recent performance at Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series, where the team finished sixth after recording victories over UAE and Iran. India also had a preparatory camp in Thailand, where they played practice matches against the hosts and Sri Lanka.“The players have improved enormously, both physically and in terms of game understanding. Considering how few tournaments we’re able to play, the progress has been exceptional,” Delport said of the team that finished seventh in the last Asiad.The former South Africa international, however, insisted that the focus must remain on the process rather than the results. Rugby India president Rahul Bose also echoed that sentiment, arguing that progress in team sports often takes longer to become visible on the scoreboard.But with an eye on the 2032 Olympics, Bose reiterated the need to create a more professional ecosystem for players.“We have to make rugby fully professional. You cannot just have camps and send players home. Centres of excellence and year-round programmes are the way forward,” he said in Kolkata on Monday.While Bose hinted that some of those plans could begin taking shape in the coming months, the immediate focus remains the Asian Games for which the team departs on Friday.The squad: Shikha Yadav (C), Dumuni Marndi (VC), Amandeep Kaur, Arti Kumari, Bhumika Shukla, Vaishnavi Patil, Guriya Kumari, Kalyani Patil, Mama Naik, Nirmalya Rout, Sandhya Rai, Sandhyarani Tudu, Ujjwala Ghuge.
