For a woman who had to first work hard in the kitchen to get her mother-in-law Geena Devi's permission to get a chance to impress the Indian Women’s Hockey Federation (IWHF) selectors, the difference between life at home and on the field is quite dramatic. “In a joint rural family in Haryana, it’s always hard to convince family members about what sport in general, and the Olympics in particular, means to a sportsperson," Siwach tells The Indian Express.

It was hard for her husband Kuldeep to convince his mother Geena Devi that her daughter-in-law should be allowed to go for a ‘big’ tournament. Geena Devi has no idea what the Olympics are and why the Tibetans are protesting the Beijing Games. Taking care of her two children — aged seven and two-and-a-half — are bigger priorities as far as she is concerned. But, once Kuldeep sat her down, she agreed to manage household chores and take care of her grandchildren in Pritam’s absence.

“My mother is very traditional,” said Kuldeep, who was himself a national-level hockey player.

Now, with the home front taken care of, Pritam is hoping to help the Indian team reach the Olympics for the first time in 28 years.

“Overcoming traditional customs has not been easy,” says Pritam, “but it has made me much tougher, which is why I am here in the team and keeping pace with players much younger than me.

“Let me go and win the qualifiers at least, then perhaps I will be able to explain what the Olympics are much better to my mother-in-law,” she says.