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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.

King Charles' Royal honour to Indian-origin couple

New Zealand hails Mumbaikar, Gujarati wife for services to IT

Mumbai/Wellington: A full-blooded Mumbaikar Sunit Prakash and his Gujarat-rooted wife Lalita Kasanji – who are now dual New Zealand-Australia citizens - have been honoured a ‘Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit’ for services to the Information Technology industry and the Indian diaspora there.

 

The Royal honours – equivalent to India’s top civilian national awards – shall be conferred in a few months on the Prakash-Kasanji couple by the New Zealand Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, the first Maori woman to hold the august office representing King Charles III of the United Kingdom.

 

This is the first time the honour has gone to members of the Indian community and since 1995, NZ has recognised around 15 dignitaries for contributions to the IT sector.

 

“We are thrilled by this recognition,” gushed Prakash, 63, in an informal telephonic chat with The Perfect Voice from Wellington.

 

In 2023, Prakash-Kasanji co-founded the New Zealand Centre for Digital Connections with India to speed up and incubate digital and tech cooperation between the two countries.

 

Their pioneering research with a combination of global, tech and ethno-sociological lens revealed that the Indian IT professionals contributed US$ 350 million to the NZ economy annually, plus identified predictors to success by creating catalyst programs for visibility and progress.

 

“Drawing from our life experiences of migration and settlement, we found that NZ’s Indian IT professionals community possessed immense knowledge, insights, skills and cross-market expertise. But their intrinsic value was not fully acknowledged. We made it our mission to create visibility and generate opportunities,” smiled Prakash.

 

This was the foundation for their submission recommending NZ to take a Digital and IT Trade Delegation to India to enhance trade relations and boost innovations.

 

“Sunlight is a powerful disinfectant, and we are bringing a magnifying glass,” said Prakash, his words loaded, flanked by Lalita with roots in Surat though her family has been in Wellington since 1912.

 

In a rare and pleasant trifecta, Prakash’s mother-in-law, Ruxmani Kasanji who came to NZ after marriage in 1948, was honoured as Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit’ (2019), for her contributions to the Indians there, and son Arjun, 28, is pursuing his doctorate in AI in the USA.

 

“Till I met Sunit, like most in NZ, Digital India and new Indians were invisible to this country, and the perception markedly changed with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s recent visit to India,” said Kasanji, a sociologist who completed her Master’s at Victoria University of Wellington focusing on Gujarati migration to NZ.

 

Indians' mega-splash in Kiwiland

Born in New Delhi, Sunit Prakash was educated in Mumbai’s top-notch Jamnabai Narsee School, Mithibai College and Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, all in Vile Parle where he lived too.

 

Occasionally he changed gears to fluent Hindi (his ancestors were from Uttar Pradesh) and Marathi, emphasizing his life as a ‘Bombayite’, and recalled fond memories of his teachers, lecturers, principals and peers.

 

Interestingly, the honour to Prakash and his wife Lalita Kasanji comes at a time when NZ - with a population of around 51-lakhs, including 6 pc Indians – is actively chasing a Free Trade Agreement with India.

 

He pointed out how India is recognized as a fastest growing global major economy, and is the top source to tap IT skills and talent, with many Indians heading major tech companies in the US and elsewhere.

 

The 320,000 Indians comprise barely 6 pc of NZ’s population, but a large number, around 120,000 are in the digital and tech workforce, and Indian IT professionals have been deploying systems there since the mid-1980s, added Prakash.

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