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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.

Lokyogi – The Saga of a Mass Leader

The journey of a leader who measured success not by personal gain, but by service to the people.


In Lokyogi, Shivajirao Patil Kavhekar offers not just a chronicle of his life, but a rich, deeply personal narrative of the transformation of a village, a region, and ultimately, a man who rose from the soil of rural Maharashtra to shape political, social, and agricultural change with unwavering dedication.


Born on July 11, 1954, in the small village of Kavha in Latur tehsil, Kavhekar’s early life was rooted in simplicity and service. Raised in a farming family with strong ties to the Arya Samaj movement and a legacy of leadership, his father was a respected Police Patil and a prominent landlord. Kavhekar imbibed the values of duty, discipline, and social reform from an early age. These formative influences are vividly recalled in his autobiography, as he brings alive memories from both his maternal and paternal ancestral homes, sketching the intellectual and moral foundation of his life’s journey.


From a young student with a passion for education and community improvement to a fiery reformist in college movements and eventually a towering political figure, Kavhekar's life reads like a blueprint for grassroots leadership. His rise from sarpanch to chairperson of the Latur Agricultural Market Committee, and ultimately to Member of the Legislative Assembly, defeating Vilasrao Deshmukh in the 1995 elections, was no mere accident of fate. It was the result of decades of relentless effort, political astuteness, and a fierce will to serve.


Kavhekar’s narrative is not one of privilege, but of grit. The struggles he faced, the resistance he encountered, and the systemic injustice he sought to challenge are laid bare in this autobiography with admirable honesty. Whether addressing the exploitation of farmers in market committees or championing the cause of mathadi workers and women labourers, his voice consistently rises for the voiceless.


His work in education, especially the establishment of the JSPM educational trust and creation of 40 branches across the region, helped build what came to be known as the ‘Latur Pattern’, a model of academic excellence in rural Maharashtra. Through initiatives like the Maharashtra Nagari Sahakari Bank, Kavhekar also focused on the financial empowerment of marginalised communities, particularly women and economically backward groups.


But what truly sets Lokyogi apart is not just the catalogue of accomplishments; it’s the soul behind them. The book brings us face to face with a man who saw leadership not as a ladder to personal gain but as a platform for public welfare. Whether engaging in youth politics, serving as vice president of the BJP’s Kisan Morcha, or leading agitations for the development of Marathwada, Kavhekar never lost sight of his core mission: upliftment through unity.


His political life, spanning affiliations with the Congress, Janata Dal, NCP, and BJP, is a testament to his ideological adaptability without compromising his moral compass. He worked with stalwarts like Sharad Pawar, Rajiv Gandhi, Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Vilasrao Deshmukh, each encounter enriching his political persona. One particularly telling episode involves the word “mamuli” used in an assembly election campaign, which Kavhekar uses to illustrate the power of language in shaping political outcomes.


In 1995, after being denied an assembly ticket by the Congress party, Shivajirao Patil Kavhekar contested the election as a Janata Dal candidate against the formidable Vilasrao Deshmukh and emerged victorious, securing an impressive 107,000 votes.


Visually evocative, emotionally resonant, and written in a fluid, compelling style, Lokyogi is as much a personal memoir as it is a historical account of rural Maharashtra’s transformation. His stories of village transformation, turning a violence-prone Kavha into a smart village, and his championing of farmer rights, market reforms, and education, show how vision and perseverance can indeed change the world, one decision at a time.


The title Lokyogi, meaning ‘a sage among the people’, is apt and symbolic. Kavhekar is not portrayed as a distant, exalted figure, but as a leader deeply embedded in the lives of the common people. His saga is not merely one of success but of meaningful service.


This autobiography is not just a book; it is a movement in print. A legacy to inspire future generations of political leaders, social reformers, and everyday citizens who dare to believe that leadership, at its best, is a sacred duty to serve.


(The writer is a journalist based in Latur. Views personal.)

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