Pratima Barwa, the distinguished hockey coach from Jharkhand, breathed her last in Ranchi after suffering a paralytic stroke. She had been admitted to the ICU of a private hospital and was placed on ventilator support, but despite intensive medical intervention, her condition could not be revived.

Confirming her demise, Hockey Jharkhand General Secretary Vijay Shankar Singh said, “Pratima Barwa was not just a coach, she was the very soul of Jharkhand and Indian women’s hockey. The players she mentored are now the pride of the nation.”

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Barwa was the head coach at the residential hockey training centre in Khunti. She also served for several years in Simdega. Under her guidance, many women hockey players emerged who went on to represent India on international platforms. Her contribution was instrumental in establishing Jharkhand as a significant hub of Indian hockey.

Vijay Shankar Singh recalled that false reports of her death had emerged the previous day when her breathing had briefly stopped. However, after a brief revival, she ultimately succumbed to her condition today.

Pratima Barwa will be cremated in her ancestral village. Her passing away has triggered a wave of mourning not only in Jharkhand but across the Indian sporting community. Former players, sports enthusiasts, and various sports organisations have paid heartfelt tributes to her on social media.

This is not merely the news of a coach’s demise, but the end of an era in Jharkhand’s sporting legacy.