Indian women’s football continues to make history thanks to the incredible efforts of coach Ravi Kumar Punia. He has now become a trailblazer by guiding teams to win medals at every major level—Sub-Junior, Junior, and Senior championships. Just recently, Punia added another big win when Uttar Pradesh’s girls’ team defeated Kerala 2-1 in the final of the Sub-Junior Girls’ National Football Championship 2025-26 Tier 2. This exciting match took place in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh, and both teams earned promotion to Tier 1 for the next season.
This victory is part of a rare and impressive record in Indian football. Punia had previously led Dadra & Nagar Haveli to a gold medal at the Junior National Championship in 2021, beating Bihar 1-0 in the final. At the senior level, he coached Haryana to two important podium finishes: silver in 2023 after losing 2-0 to Manipur in the final and bronze in 2024 following a 2-0 defeat against Odisha in the semifinals.
Reflecting on his achievements, Ravi Kumar Punia shared his thoughts: “Winning medals across all three categories is a proud moment for me. But I see this as a big step forward for women’s football in India. These results show that if we trust our players and give them the right guidance, they can perform at every level. My goal is to keep helping women’s football grow and inspire young players to believe they can compete with the best.”
Punia isn’t just making waves at the national level; he’s also made a name for himself in club football. He’s been the head coach of HOPS FC in the Indian Women’s League for three seasons, working closely with young talents. Under his guidance, the club has become a regular competitive team in the league.
Before all this, Punia played football himself. He was part of Rajasthan United FC, which won the I-League Qualifiers, and he also represented his state in the prestigious Santosh Trophy. His experience as a player has helped him understand the game better and has played a big role in his successful coaching career.
Ravi Kumar Punia’s journey in football shows how dedication and passion can lead to breaking barriers and inspiring the next generation of women footballers in India.
