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Neha Goyal fondly recalled calling Sunil ‘Sukkad’ and how their eight-year friendship gradually evolved into love
Neha Goyal shared that she met Sunil Kumar around nine years ago while playing in the Under-17 national tournament. (News18 Himachal Pradesh)
Haryana’s Olympian hockey player Neha Goyal tied the knot with national hockey player Sunil Kumar from Karnal. The wedding rituals concluded with a wedding procession in a private garden in Sonipat.
Olympian Neha Goyal, a resident of West Ramnagar, Sonipat, performed brilliantly in the Asian Championship and played a pivotal role in the Indian team’s gold medal victory. Goyal married national-level hockey player Sunil on 24 November.
Goyal, whose journey in hockey began at the tender age of seven, shared that she has three sisters and their mother, Savitri Devi, raised them. Savitri Devi worked in a factory to fulfil even their smallest wishes. When Goyal was in the sixth grade, she held a hockey stick, thinking that she would get good shoes and clothes. She shared that she never thought that this hockey stick would change her life.
Coach Pritam Siwach recognised the hidden talent in her and, by providing her with better training, polished it. With his blessings, she has been able to play hockey at the international level.
Goyal said that she attributes wearing a wedding dress to her mother. If it were not for her mother’s hard work, she would have neither her favourite wedding dress nor the groom of her choice. Neha said that she is very happy, and the reason for this happiness is her mother.
Goyal shared that she met Sunil around nine years ago while playing in the Under-17 national tournament. Their friendship blossomed from there. Goyal fondly recalled calling Sunil ‘Sukkad’ and how their eight-year friendship gradually evolved into love. She described Sunil as having a calm and friendly demeanour, adding that he is also very caring. He currently works as an auditor for the CAG in Kolkata.
Goyal said that in 2015, she broke her leg. The doctor prohibited her from playing in the future. Sunil provided invaluable support, taking her to medical appointments and assisting with physiotherapy and treatment. This enabled her to return to the field.
Following the 2018 Asian Games, Goyal confided in her coach and sister, Pritam Siwach, about her relationship with Sunil. Her coach encouraged her to prioritise her sporting career. After the Olympics, Goyal approached her family regarding marriage to Sunil, and both families consented. Subsequently, a love-cum-arranged marriage took place.
Indian women’s hockey team vice-captain, Navdeep Kaur, expressed her joy at attending teammate Neha’s wedding. “Today, I am very happy. I have come to attend my teammate Neha’s wedding,” she said.
Following their recent success at the Asian Championship, where the Indian team secured the gold medal, Kaur emphasised the team’s focus. “Our team has performed brilliantly in the Asian Championship and the Indian team has won the gold medal. Now our team’s entire focus is on the upcoming Olympics,” she said.