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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.

Outsiders Welcome

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

Sudhir Mungantiwar

As the clock keeps ticking relentlessly towards the Maharashtra Assembly election on November 20, tensions simmering within the BJP ranks in eastern Vidarbha do not augur well for the ruling party.

Recent remarks by senior minister and six-term MLA , underscore the party’s internal strife regarding the candidacy of ‘outsider’ Kishor Jorgewar for the Chandrapur Assembly segment. While Mungantiwar’s public dissent against Jorgewar’s potential nomination seemingly reflects a broader unease within the party’s grassroots cadre, it highlighting the saffron party’s challenges of balancing electoral strategy with the loyalty of its dyed-in-wool cadre.


It also reflects a paradox: the BJP, in the name of ‘winnability’ is willing to embrace anyone (the induction of Ajit Pawar’s NCP being the most potent instance of this strategy) causing leaders like Mungantiwar, opposed tooth and nail to Jorgewar’s entry, now forced to welcome him out of ‘pragmatism.’

Kishor Jorgewar’s induction into the BJP was finalized after intense negotiations in Mumbai and Delhi over the past four days. Mungantiwar, who reportedly baulked before the BJP top brass in Delhi including Amit Shah, later did a volte face, saying he was changing his stance for the party’s benefit.


At Delhi, Mungantiwar had addressed the local BJP’s concerns about Jorgewar’s potential candidacy while suggesting that a dedicated BJP loyalist like Brajbhushan Pazare, should be nominated instead for Chandrapur. Ultimately, the BJP chose to back Jorgewar, while reportedly appeasing Mungantiwar’s confidante, Devrao Bhongle, with a ticket for the Rajura constituency.


Jorgewar, the incumbent MLA of the Chandrapur constituency, has long been the bete noire of Mungantiwar, the current legislator of adjacent Ballarpur.


The political dynamics of Chandrapur have been reflective of the shifts in the eastern Vidarbha region. Dominated by Congress from 1960 to 1990, the BJP started gaining ground there in the 1990s, with Mungantiwar holding the Chandrapur seat from 1995 until the 2008 delimitation reclassified the constituency as reserved for Scheduled Castes. While Mungantiwar shifted to Ballarpur, the seat was still retained by the BJP in the form of ex-MLA Nana Shamkule, who won both the 2009 and 2014 Assembly contests. However, BJP’s hold on Chandrapur was broken in 2019, when Jorgewar, fighting as an independent candidate, unseated Shamkule.


Despite internal opposition, some BJP leaders see Jorgewar’s candidacy as advantageous, and the central leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is open to importing candidates based on merit. The Maharashtra Assembly polls have become crucial for the BJP’s state and central leadership after the party’s dismal performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections.


Yet, the question lingers whether importing candidates will enhance the BJP’s electoral fortunes, or will it sow discord among party loyalists?


The implications of this dilemma extend beyond Chandrapur. Discontent is surfacing in other constituencies in eastern Vidarbha like Katol, where local leaders express dissatisfaction over potential nominations that threaten their standing. Ashish Deshmukh’s apprehensions regarding the candidacy of Charan Thakur highlight a growing concern that the central command’s decisions could further fracture local support.


The BJP’s underwhelming performance in the Lok Sabha elections certainly has intensified the urgency to fortify its ranks, particularly in strategically vital regions like Vidarbha. This sentiment is echoed in private conversations among BJP leaders, where the prospect of inducting turncoat candidates is seen as a ‘necessary evil’ only in exceptional circumstances.


And yet, the pursuit of ‘outsiders’ like Jorgewar reflects a desperate strategy in the face of electoral vulnerability. The need to balance meritocracy with grassroots loyalty has never been more urgent for the BJP.

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