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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Cricket’s Quiet Crusader

Former kca Selection Chief who helped nurture a generation of women cricketers when the sport struggled for recognition Niketha Ramankutty A prominent figure in Indian women’s cricket, Niketha Ramankutty — former Chairperson of the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) Women’s Selection Committee and Manager of the Kerala State women’s teams — has long championed the game, especially when women’s cricket had little platform in her home state. Her dedication helped nurture girls taking to cricket...

Cricket’s Quiet Crusader

Former kca Selection Chief who helped nurture a generation of women cricketers when the sport struggled for recognition Niketha Ramankutty A prominent figure in Indian women’s cricket, Niketha Ramankutty — former Chairperson of the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) Women’s Selection Committee and Manager of the Kerala State women’s teams — has long championed the game, especially when women’s cricket had little platform in her home state. Her dedication helped nurture girls taking to cricket in Kerala. During her tenure, which ended recently, five players from the state went on to represent India, while three now feature in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Niketha’s journey began in 1995 on modest grounds and rough pitches in the blazing sun of her native Thrissur. At the time, girls aspiring to play cricket often drew curious stares or disapproving glances. This was despite Kerala producing some of India’s finest female athletes, including P.T. Usha, Shiny Wilson, Anju Bobby George, K.M. Beenamol and Tintu Luka. “Those were the days when women’s cricket did not attract packed stadiums, prime-time television coverage, lucrative contracts or celebrity status. Thankfully, the BCCI has taken progressive steps, including equal pay for the senior women’s team and launching the WPL. These have brought greater visibility, professional avenues and financial security for women cricketers,” Niketha said during a chat with  The Perfect Voice  in Pune. With better infrastructure, stronger domestic competitions and greater junior-level exposure, she believes the future of women’s cricket in India is bright and encourages more girls to pursue the sport seriously. Humble Beginnings Niketha began playing informal matches in neighbourhood kalisthalams (playgrounds) and school competitions before realising cricket was her true calling. Coaches who noticed her composure encouraged her to pursue the game seriously. More than flamboyance, she brought reliability and quiet determination to the turf — qualities every captain values when a match hangs in the balance. These traits helped her rise through the ranks and become a key figure in Kerala’s women’s cricket structure. “She was like a gentle messiah for the players. During demanding moments, they could rely on her – whether to stabilise an innings or lift team spirit,” recalled a former colleague. Guiding Youngsters Her involvement came when women’s cricket in many states struggled even for basic facilities. Matches were rarely covered by the media, and limited travel or training arrangements often tested players’ patience. “As a mother of two daughters—Namradha, 18, and Nivedya, 14—I could understand the emotions of the young girls in the teams. Guiding players through difficult phases and helping them overcome failures gave me the greatest satisfaction,” she said. Niketha — an English Literature graduate with a master’s in Tourism Management — believes success in sport demands not only skill but also sacrifice. Strong parental support and encouragement from her husband, Vinoth Kumar, an engineer, helped her overcome many challenges. Never one to seek the spotlight, she let her performances speak for themselves, earning respect on the national circuit. Quiet Legacy Today, the landscape has changed dramatically. Young girls are more ambitious, parents more supportive, and cricket is seen as a viable career with opportunities in coaching, umpiring, team management, sports analysis and allied fields. Players like Niketha have quietly strengthened the sport. Their journeys show that some victories are not won under stadium floodlights, but by determined women who simply refused to stop playing.

India’s Strategic Green Energy Initiatives

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

India’s Strategic Green Energy Initiatives

Prime Minister Modi proposed the ambitious One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) vision in 2018 at the first International Solar Alliance (ISA) conference. Along with OSOWOG is the Green Grids Initiative (GGI), jointly proposed by India and the UK during COP-26 in 2021. This international network of interconnected solar grids has about 140 member nations. Its premise is that “the sun never sets” and, more importantly, varying energy consumption needs in different time zones. For example, Singapore’s peak energy demand from 0900 to 1800 overlaps with London’s off-hours (0100–1000), demonstrating the grid’s 24x7 potential. Hence, countries can harness continuous, renewable energy 24x7 from this global solar grid. They would avoid the high cost of storage batteries as well.

IMEC plays a strategic role in European energy security with its ‘green energy corridor’ of underwater pipelines for green hydrogen and power cables, crucial to the EU’s green transition plans.

The IMEC corridor includes the East Med Poseidon pipeline, transporting hydrogen and natural gas from Israel and Cyprus to Greece and Italy. The East Med pipeline could be used within IMEC to transport green hydrogen produced by Gulf countries. Meanwhile, India is ramping up its investment in green energy, positioning itself to play a more significant role in the global market. In August 2023, Reliance and Canadian Brookfield Asset Management agreed to invest US$20–30 billion in the next decade in Australia’s renewable energy sector. This move would align RIL’s US$100 billion green energy investment in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh with opportunities for workforce skill development in India.

India aims for an optimistic 10% of the global share of green energy. In this context, the government plans to facilitate the development of the required infrastructure, both internally and for export, including storage bunkers, port operations equipment, and refuelling facilities.

Oil companies may, as per government sources, be required to charter at least one ship each to be powered by green hydrogen or derived fuels by 2027. The port infrastructure needed to enable exports of green hydrogen derivatives and pipelines to facilitate bulk transport of green hydrogen will also be developed.

The Shipping Corporation of India, or in the event of its disinvestment, its successor private entity, plans to retrofit at least two ships to run on green hydrogen or other green hydrogen-derived fuels by 2027.

Green steel production occurs when green hydrogen replaces fossil fuels in steel-making. The provision of carbon credits and the imposition of market barriers should further enhance the viability of green hydrogen-based steel. Green ammonia bunkers and refuelling facilities will be set up at least at one port by 2025. So far, three ports have been identified: Paradip Port (Odisha), Deendayal Port (Gujarat), and VO Chidambaranar Port (Tamil Nadu).

Indian industries consume around five million metric tonnes a year of hydrogen produced from fossil fuels. The challenge is to make green hydrogen using renewable sources at a viable cost by 2030, creating about 600,000 new green jobs. This aligns with India’s plan to become ‘Energy Self-Atmanirbhar’ by 2047 and net zero emissions by 2070.

(The writer is a Marine and Shipping consultant. Views personal)

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