Dressed in a black chador, Shahana Fatima Zargar turned heads at the Wankhede on Sunday.
A woman in veil is not a regular sight at the stadium. And as it turned out, Zargar wasn't one of those rare Ranji Trophy fans, but the media manager of the Jammu & Kashmir team taking on Mumbai.
Having a travelling media manager for a Ranji Trophy team is a rarity, and J&K seem to have started a trend of sorts.
Zargar covers herself from head to toe at home, showing off only her eyes. But she chose to wear only a black chador on this trip. "I will be interacting with a lot of people here and that's why I have chosen to wear only a chador. It is important not to cover your head and hands," she said while watching her team dominate Mumbai.
Earlier this year, Zargar was appointed media manager by the working committee of the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association. She also acts as a mediator between the players and the association.
Zargar, who has studied investigative journalism, also holds an MBA. In fact, she impressed the JKCA authorities with her reports on the game in the state. "I would follow the game keenly. These boys know me for two years. A day after the JKCA appointed sub committees in their working committee, I was surprised to read my name in the media committee," she said.
"I am a mediator. I take the grievances of the players to the association. That apart, I also handle the media part of it. J&K cricket has gone through some of tough times. Everyone knows the lack of infrastructure as well as the scams. The recent floods only made it worse. I have been asked to ensure our players don't get into controversies when they speak to the media," she said.
Zargar hopes the situation back home gets better. "The BCCI has promised to help us improve the facilities that were destroyed during the floods. We want the best for our cricketers. They have also promised us to give us the funds (close to Rs 80 crore) once the investigation into the 2012 scandal case is complete," she said.
This is Zargar's first visit to Mumbai. She is accompanied by her younger brother. "It is a lovely city. Here, people don't care about what the others are doing. My parents are conservative and that's why they have sent my brother along. I feel safe when he is around," she said.
The 1988-born Zargar is also the editor of a magazine called Sports Unlimited. It's the first such publication run by a woman. "People questioned me when I came up with the idea. But my parents supported me. My father said he doesn't have the money to help me. I somehow managed to arrange funds through friends and cousins and registered the title. Even the person at RNI (Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India) asked me if I was serious about launching a magazine. When I want something, I just go for it," she said.
Even though Zargar is the media manager of the team, she isn't afraid to do the job of a journalist. "That is my job. If something is wrong, I write about it," she added.
A J&K player too acknowledged her efforts. "She is our mediator. If we want to convey our message to the association, we tell her," said the player.
Zargar wants to prove a point. "I want to achieve something in life. I want to be an example for other Muslim women," she concluded.
r_taus@dnaindia.net
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