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Veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia has earned the 2026 Padma Shri award, one of India's highest civilian honours for her contribution to Indian hockey. Fondly known as the 'Great Wall of India', the 35-year-old from Haryana crossed the 300 international matches landmark, etching her name into history.
Punia's consistency between the posts has earned her the FIH Women's Goalkeeper of the Year award for three consecutive years, placing her among the best in the world.
Even after years at the top level, Savita continues to deliver under pressure, leading by example on and off the field. Her journey reflec
Veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia has earned the 2026 Padma Shri award, one of India's highest civilian honours for her contribution to Indian hockey. Fondly known as the 'Great Wall of India', the 35-year-old from Haryana crossed the 300 international matches landmark, etching her name into history.
Punia's consistency between the posts has earned her the FIH Women's Goalkeeper of the Year award for three consecutive years, placing her among the best in the world.
Even after years at the top level, Savita continues to deliver under pressure, leading by example on and off the field. Her journey reflects discipline, and an unwavering commitment to Indian hockey.
Who Is Savita Punia?
Savita Punia (born 11 July 1990) is an Indian field hockey player. She is also known as the Great Wall of India. Her efforts were also acknowledged when she received the FIH Women's Goalkeeper Of The Year award for three consecutive seasons (2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23). Savita Punia, India's star hockey goalkeeper received the Baljit Singh Goalkeeper Of The Year award in 2015.
Way Forward
Punia and her team claimed the limelight by showcasing their skills and talent during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Though they lost to Great Britain by 3-4 during the bronze medal round, they were applauded for being successful in proving their potential and bringing hope to India. Savita Punia went on to win the FIH Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, adding another milestone to her career.
Speaking about her progress, she said the recognition felt encouraging and reflected the hard work put in after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Punia shared that the team continued to train with focus and discipline throughout the year, and winning the award reassured her that she was moving in the right direction with her training.
In 2022, the team performed exceptionally well at the Birmingham edition of the Commonwealth Games by beating New Zealand and claiming the Bronze medal. It motivated the team and created a positive environment to train harder and achieve better results.
In the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25, she continued to anchor India’s defence against top teams. In one notable match, India drew with the Netherlands. An impressive performance against the reigning Olympic champions, where the team showed resilience and Savita played her role under pressure.
Recent Development In Her Career
Savita Punia recently crossed the landmark of 300 international matches, a feat in Indian women’s hockey. Her consistency between the posts has earned her the FIH Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for three consecutive years, placing her among the best in the world.
In recognition of her contribution to the sport, she was honoured with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards and she has also been honoured with Arjuna Award, India's 2nd highest sporting honour in 2018. Even after years at the top level, Savita continues to deliver under pressure, leading by example on and off the field. Her journey reflects discipline, and an unwavering commitment to Indian hockey.