Ex-cricketers and Shiv Chhatrapati awardees, Shobha Pandit Mundkur and Rekha Gadre Godbole, have started a cricket academy for girls to promote women’s cricket in India.
In our cricket crazy nation, how many people can proudly declare they know the names of the players in the Indian women’s cricket team?
The fairer sex has always been overshadowed by their more celebrated, publicised counterparts in Indian cricket. Young boys emulate Sachin Tendulkar on the pitch while most of the times, young girls interested in cricket are left on the stands.
Ex-cricketers Shobha Pandit Mundkur and Rekha Gadre Godbole want to change this scenario in the country, starting from their hometown, Pune. They have launched Unique Cricket Club for Girls, a cricket academy for girls.
Pandit’s journey from playing backyard cricket with the boys to being the opening batsman of the first Indian women’s cricket team began when she was 16 years old. Termed by the Australian press as ‘Lady Gavaskar’, Pandit has also written a book about her experiences which will be released in 2013 when India hosts the Women’s Cricket World Cup.
“When we started playing we were not even paid and the standard of the grounds and infrastructure was terrible. We played for the love of the game and the pride of representing our country,” Pandit said.
With 17 test matches and the first World Cup part of her memories in the sport, she wants to give back to cricket by helping young girls achieve their dreams.
Godbole too, wants to encourage girls to pursue cricket. After giving up competitive-level cricket in 1984, she was inspired by the talent displayed in the various city cricket tournaments for girls.
Back in 1975, Godbole didn’t realise she could have a future in cricket while playing with her brothers at home. But winning the best batsman award among 125 girls at a coaching camp led to her representing India at the 1982 World Cup.
She explained, “Encouragement and support from the family is very important. Cricket requires commitment and discipline but none of it is possible without the support.”
The two opening batsmen have come together to provide this support through the academy. Their motto is ‘to catch them young’. They also train boys under twelve years to promote healthy competition for the girls. Besides training them for the game, they are given exposure to the various aspects - umpiring,commentary, tournament organisation and theory.
Within three months they have already had a success story. Tanvi Rathi, a standard VII student, was selected as a stand-by for the district team. Even though most of her friends don’t play the sport or even watch it, Tanvi says, “I love playing cricket because it’s fun.” And she now gets the opportunity to pursue that passion every day, along with other girls that love the game.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}