Pushpa Rana is an Indian kabaddi player from Himachal Pradesh who captained India to the women’s kabaddi gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. India beat Iran 37-34 in the final on 26 September 2026. It was her second Asian Games gold after Hangzhou, and her first major tournament as India captain.

She was born in Millah village in the Shillai area of Sirmaur district. She grew up in a family where kabaddi was already familiar to her through her father and brother. She started her kabaddi journey in 2014 and went on to compete at school, college, district, state, national and international levels.

Her career includes several domestic medals, a South Asian Games gold medal in 2019 and an Asian Games gold medal with India at Hangzhou in 2023. She has also captained Himachal Pradesh in major domestic competitions. In 2024, she played for Himalayan Tahrs in the JSG Women’s Yuva Kabaddi Series and was named the tournament’s Best Raider after crossing 100 raid points in eight matches. In 2025, she was vice-captain of India at the Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship and the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup, both of which India won.

Pushpa Rana Biography

Details Information
Full Name Pushpa Rana
Date of Birth January 11, 1998
Birthplace Millah village, Shillai, Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh
Nationality Indian
Profession Kabaddi Player
Playing Role Raider / All-Rounder
Main Position Right Raider
Father Jaipal Rana
Mother Champa Devi
Brother Sanjeev Rana
Training Centre SAI Dharamshala
Major International Medals Asian Games Gold (Hangzhou 2022 edition and Aichi-Nagoya 2026)
South Asian Games Gold, 2019
Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship Gold, 2025
Women’s Kabaddi World Cup Gold, 2025
Asian Games 2026 Gold medal as India captain (final: India 37-34 Iran)
State Reward (2026) Rs 1 crore and a government job announced by the Himachal Pradesh government

Pushpa Rana Early Life

Pushpa Rana was born on January 11, 1998, in Millah village in the Shillai area of Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh. The Shillai region has produced several women kabaddi players, and Rana grew up in an environment where the sport was known within her own family. Her father, Jaipal Rana, was a teacher and also had knowledge of kabaddi, while her brother Sanjeev also played the sport.

Pushpa began playing kabaddi around 2014. Her interest was also influenced by hearing about Indian kabaddi players Priyanka Negi and Ritu Negi. Her father and brother taught her the basics of the game, giving her an early connection with kabaddi before she moved into more organised competitions.

Growing up in a hilly area also meant that training was not always easy. Pushpa and other girls from Shillai had to move to sports hostels at a young age because there were limited facilities in the region. Pushpa herself has spoken about the physically demanding lifestyle in the area and how girls there often combine household and field work with their other responsibilities.

Pushpa Rana Family Background

Pushpa Rana comes from a simple family in Himachal Pradesh. Her father Jaipal Rana has been described as a teacher and someone familiar with kabaddi. Her mother is named in profiles as Champa Devi, while her brother Sanjeev has also been associated with kabaddi.

Her family played an important role during her early years in the sport because she learned the basics from her father and brother. This gave her a chance to understand the game from a young age. Later, she trained under several coaches as her level increased and she moved towards state and national competitions.

The wider Shillai region has also been an important part of her story. Ritu Negi, who represented and captained India, also comes from Shillai. In 2026, Pushpa took over the Indian captaincy from Ritu Negi, making them two successive India captains from the same region.

Pushpa Rana Education

Pushpa Rana has continued her education alongside kabaddi. Public profiles differ on the exact subject of her postgraduate degree: one lists a Master of Arts in History, while a 2023 Hindi newspaper report said she had completed postgraduate studies in Hindi.

It is safe to say that Pushpa has pursued higher education in the humanities while developing her kabaddi career. Her sporting journey has gone together with academic studies rather than replacing them.

Pushpa Rana Kabaddi Career

Pushpa Rana’s domestic kabaddi career developed through several age-group and senior competitions. Her early achievements include a bronze medal at the Junior Federation Cup in 2015, bronze medals in Federation Cup competitions in 2016, a gold medal at the Junior Federation Cup in 2016 and a gold medal at the Senior Federation Cup in 2017.

She also won gold at the All India University level in 2018. In March 2022, she led the Himachal Pradesh University women’s team to its fourth All India University title. These university competitions became another important part of her development as a player and leader.

Pushpa later became a regular part of Himachal Pradesh’s senior women’s kabaddi setup. In the 69th Senior National Women’s Kabaddi Championship in 2023, she captained Himachal Pradesh, which reached the final before losing to Haryana 35-28. Pushpa and teammate Jyoti contributed points in the final.

Pushpa Rana and Himachal Pradesh

One of the strongest parts of Pushpa Rana’s domestic career has been her work with Himachal Pradesh. She captained the state team during the 2025 National Games in Uttarakhand. Himachal Pradesh won the women’s kabaddi gold medal by defeating Haryana 27-22 in the final.

That victory was significant for the state team because it was its third straight National Games gold. Himachal Pradesh had also won the women’s kabaddi gold at the 2022 National Games and the 2023 National Games. The team had also won the Senior National Kabaddi Championship in 2024.

In the 2025 National Games final, she helped Himachal take an early lead, and the team finished the match with a 27-22 victory. She was also among the players from Himachal Pradesh who were selected for the national camp in 2025.

Pushpa Rana in Yuva Kabaddi Series

Pushpa Rana also featured in the JSG Women’s Yuva Kabaddi Series 2024 for Himalayan Tahrs. The official Yuva Kabaddi Series record lists her as an all-rounder, while the tournament report identified her as a right raider. She captained Himalayan Tahrs during the women’s edition held in Jaipur.

The 2024 tournament became an important domestic chapter in her career. Pushpa finished as the Best Raider of the competition and was the only raider to cross 100 raid points in eight matches. Himalayan Tahrs finished the tournament as runners-up.

Her role in Yuva Kabaddi also gave younger players a chance to play alongside an experienced national-level athlete. Her player profile lists bonus points and hand-touch as important parts of her attacking game. She has also been associated with coaches including Jaipal, Indrathakur, Gyarsingh Negi, Meher Singh Burma, Pankaj Sharma and Satvir Kaur.

Pushpa Rana International Career

Pushpa Rana’s international career started to gain attention with her selection for India at the South Asian Games held in Nepal in 2019. She was part of India’s gold-medal campaign at the Games. In a 2026 interview, Pushpa named the 2019 final against Nepal, which India won 50-13, as one of the most memorable moments of her career.

Her first big international title came at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Pushpa was part of the Indian women’s kabaddi team that won the gold medal after beating Chinese Taipei 26-25 in the final. The Asian Games were held in 2023 after being postponed from 2022, which is why the event is commonly called the 2022 Asian Games even though the kabaddi final took place in October 2023.

India won that final by a single point, 26-25, and the victory secured India’s 100th medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Pushpa contributed with raids during the final stages of the match.

Pushpa Rana at the 2025 Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship

In 2025, Pushpa was selected as vice-captain of the Indian women’s team for the Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship in Tehran, Iran. Sonali Shingate was captain, while Pushpa was listed as the team’s all-rounder. India entered the competition as defending champions.

India won the tournament, defeating hosts Iran 32-25 in the final. The victory gave India its fifth Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship title.

Pushpa Rana at the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025

Pushpa was also part of the Indian squad at the 2025 Women’s Kabaddi World Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Ritu Negi was the captain and Pushpa served as vice-captain. India retained the World Cup title after defeating Chinese Taipei 35-28 in the final.

Pushpa played a notable role in the final. After the break, she scored a three-point raid as India increased its lead. Pushpa and Sanju Devi were among the players making important contributions in the closing stages.

Pushpa Rana as India Captain in 2026

In 2026, Pushpa Rana was named captain of the Indian women’s kabaddi team for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. It was her first time leading India after serving as vice-captain. Sonali Shingate was vice-captain, while Ritu Negi remained part of the squad after previously leading India to gold in Hangzhou.

She became only the fourth woman to captain India in kabaddi at the Asian Games, after Tejeswini Bai, Payel Chowdhury and Ritu Negi. Before the Games, she said she relied a lot on senior players such as Ritu Negi and Sonali Shingate, who had both captained India before.

The 2026 appointment also added another chapter to the connection between Pushpa, Ritu Negi and Shillai. Both players come from the same region of Sirmaur district, and Pushpa said she had grown up hearing about Ritu and Priyanka Negi when she was still in school.

Pushpa Rana Leads India to Asian Games Gold (2026)

The women’s kabaddi competition was held at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium. India beat Bangladesh 42-21 in their opening match on 21 September 2026, then beat Iran 37-23 on 23 September and Japan 50-25 on 24 September. In the semi-final, India beat Nepal 48-24.

In the final on 26 September 2026, India met Iran again and won 37-34 to retain the title. With about a minute left, Indian defenders tackled an Iranian raider to seal the result. It was India’s fourth Asian Games gold in women’s kabaddi.

After the final, Pushpa called it a very challenging journey and said the team’s hard work had finally paid off. She credited the year-long training, camps lasting two to three months, the coaches and the support staff. She also said kabaddi should be added to the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

Pushpa Rana Hobbies and Interests

Kabaddi remains the main part of Pushpa Rana’s sporting life, but public profiles also mention several other sports that she enjoys.

Pushpa Rana Personal Life

Pushpa Rana has kept most details of her personal life away from the public spotlight. Information about her parents and brother is available through sports profiles and local media reports, but there is little verified information about her private life outside kabaddi.

Is Pushpa Rana Married? Who Is Her Husband?

There are no reliable reports that Pushpa Rana is married, and no husband has been named in credible sources. She has not publicly announced a marriage or a partner, so claims about her husband or boyfriend should not be treated as facts.

Pushpa Rana Job and Professional Life

Pushpa Rana’s professional sporting life has been closely connected with Himachal Pradesh and the Sports Authority of India centre in Dharamshala. She is one of the players who train at the SAI Dharamshala centre. Her coaches over the years have included her father Jaipal along with other state and national-level coaches.

Unlike some Indian kabaddi players who have secured jobs in government departments or public sector organisations, Pushpa did not have a government job for most of her career. In August 2026, the president of the Himachal Pradesh Kabaddi Association said Pushpa and another player did not have government jobs.

That changed after the Asian Games. On 5 October 2026, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced Rs 1 crore each for Pushpa Rana, Jyoti Thakur and Bhavna Thakur, up from the Rs 33.33 lakh first set under the state’s cash award rules. He also said the three players would be given government jobs, either in the police or in the sports department, so that they can continue playing. Before the meeting, Pushpa had asked for a Class I job for top medal winners.

Pushpa Rana Career Stats and Major Achievements

A single official database does not provide a complete career total covering every school, university, domestic and international match, so the table below focuses on her documented career milestones.

Year Competition / Level Team / Representation Record or Achievement
2015 Junior Federation Cup Himachal Pradesh Bronze medal
2016 Federation Cup Himachal Pradesh Bronze medal
2016 Junior & Senior Federation competitions Himachal Pradesh Bronze medals
2016 Junior Federation Cup Himachal Pradesh Gold medal
2017 Senior Federation Cup Himachal Pradesh Gold medal
2018 All India University University level Gold medal
2019 South Asian Games, Nepal India Gold medal
2022/2023 Asian Games, Hangzhou India Gold medal
2023 Senior National Championship Himachal Pradesh Silver medal
2024 Senior National Kabaddi Championship Himachal Pradesh Gold medal
2024 JSG Women’s Yuva Kabaddi Series Himalayan Tahrs Best Raider; 100+ raid points in 8 matches
2025 National Games Himachal Pradesh Gold medal; captain
2025 Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship India Gold medal; vice-captain
2025 Women’s Kabaddi World Cup India Gold medal; vice-captain
2026 Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya India Gold medal; captain (final: India 37-34 Iran)

Pushpa Rana Net Worth

Pushpa Rana’s net worth has not been disclosed in any reliable public record, and online estimates should not be treated as facts. The largest publicly reported sum linked to her is the Rs 1 crore cash award announced by the Himachal Pradesh government in October 2026 after the Asian Games gold.

Pushpa Rana Awards and Achievements

Pushpa Rana has collected medals at several stages of her career. Her early domestic achievements included Junior Federation Cup and Senior Federation Cup medals, followed by an All India University gold medal. She then moved into the Indian team and won gold at the 2019 South Asian Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Her domestic record became even stronger in the years that followed. Himachal Pradesh won the National Games women’s kabaddi gold for three straight editions from 2022 through 2025, and the state also won the Senior National Kabaddi Championship in 2024. She was captain when the state won the 2025 National Games final.

At the Yuva Kabaddi Series in 2024, Pushpa added an individual tournament award when she was named Best Raider. She then became vice-captain of India at the 2025 Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship and Women’s Kabaddi World Cup.

Her biggest achievement as a leader came in 2026, when she captained India to the Asian Games gold medal in Aichi-Nagoya. She remains one of the established names in India’s women’s kabaddi setup.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Pushpa Rana?

Pushpa Rana is an Indian kabaddi player from Himachal Pradesh. She captained India to the women’s kabaddi gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

How old is Pushpa Rana?

Pushpa Rana was born on January 11, 1998. Her exact age can be worked out from that date of birth.

Which village is Pushpa Rana from?

She was born in Millah village in the Shillai area of Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh. The Shillai region has produced several women kabaddi players, including Ritu Negi.

Who is Pushpa Rana’s husband?

There are no reliable reports that Pushpa Rana is married, and no husband has been named in credible sources. She has not publicly announced a marriage or a partner.

Who are Pushpa Rana’s parents?

Her father is Jaipal Rana, who has been described as a teacher familiar with kabaddi. Her mother is named in profiles as Champa Devi, and her brother Sanjeev also played kabaddi.

What position does Pushpa Rana play?

Pushpa Rana is a raider and all-rounder, and her main position is right raider. Bonus points and hand-touch are important parts of her attacking game.

Was Pushpa Rana the captain of India at the 2026 Asian Games?

Yes. She was named captain of the Indian women’s kabaddi team for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, her first time leading India after serving as vice-captain. Sonali Shingate was vice-captain.

Who did India beat in the 2026 Asian Games women’s kabaddi final?

India beat Iran 37-34 in the final on 26 September 2026 to retain the title. It was India’s fourth Asian Games gold in women’s kabaddi.

Does Pushpa Rana have a government job?

For most of her career she did not have a government job. In October 2026, the Himachal Pradesh government said she would be given a government job, either in the police or the sports department, along with a Rs 1 crore cash award.

How many Asian Games gold medals has Pushpa Rana won?

Pushpa Rana has won two Asian Games gold medals. The first came at Hangzhou in 2023, where India beat Chinese Taipei 26-25, and the second came as captain at Aichi-Nagoya in 2026.