Striker Rani offered coaching role by SAI

New Delhi, Aug 4: Indian women's hockey team's forward Rani Rampal was on Tuesday offered the post of assistant coach by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

SAI said it decided to offer the 20-year-old such a key position keeping in mind her "achievements". The move was also aimed at motivating "budding women hockey players", SAI said in a release here.

"Her appointment in SAI will certainly inspire the next generation of hockey players. She will be given required and relevant inputs/courses for honing her skills as a coach whenever she has time during off-camp and off-competition period," the release added.

Rani, a star goal-scorer, came to the limelight when she was selected to represent India in the 2010 World Cup at the tender age of 15 years.

Prior to that she was the top scorer in the victorious Indian team's Champions Challenge Tournament in Kazan in 2009. She was also adjudged the young player of that tournament.

Rani has helped India win a bronze medal in the 2013 Junior World Cup and played an important role in securing 2016 Olympic qualifying berth for the women's team.