{"id":142543,"date":"2026-03-16T13:25:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T18:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=142543"},"modified":"2026-03-16T13:25:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T18:55:16","slug":"from-glucose-biscuits-to-standing-ovations-meet-the-women-who-built-indian-cricket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=142543","title":{"rendered":"From Glucose biscuits to standing ovations: Meet the women who built Indian cricket"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Emotions overflowed when former India women\u2019s team captains gathered at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace ahead of the Sportstar Aces Awards. It wasn\u2019t just a meeting of old teammates; it felt like a long-awaited homecoming.<\/p>\n

Years may have passed since their playing days, but the bond remained untouched by time. Back then, they were driven by the sheer love for the game and the pride of wearing the India colours. And as they met again, the years seemed to melt away \u2014 as if the dressing-room chatter had only paused for a moment.<\/p>\n

Chanderkanta Kaul had travelled all the way from London, navigating flight disruptions linked to tensions around the Iran-Israel conflict. Pramila Bhat, too, had braved travel uncertainties in the Middle East, taking a long detour before finally making it to Mumbai from Riyadh.<\/p>\n

But distance and inconvenience meant little when friendship called.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen all my friends and seniors are here, how can I miss it?\u201d Pramila said, her face lighting up with a smile that said it all.<\/p>\n

Chanderkanta shared the same emotion. \u201cI am coming after years. Initially I thought I wouldn\u2019t be able to make it, but when the almighty wants, things fall into place,\u201d she said softly.<\/p>\n

And once they met, the warmth returned instantly.<\/p>\n

The hotel rooms soon turned into lively dressing rooms again, filled with laughter, stories and affectionate teasing. Purnima Rau,\u00a0 Puri di\u00a0<\/i>to everyone, slipped effortlessly into her familiar role, making rounds with cups of tea and ensuring everyone felt at home. She had even carried packets of freshly made pickles for her friends, a small gesture that brought big smiles.<\/p>\n

By afternoon, Aparna Kambli and Soniya Dabir joined the gathering. Aparna had only a short trip across the city, but Soniya had driven down all the way from Pune, unwilling to miss the chance to relive those precious moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cPuri\u00a0 di<\/i>, you remember how all of us would watch\u00a0 Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi\u00a0<\/i>together?\u201d Soniya asked, her voice carrying the nostalgia of another time.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven Jhulan (Goswami) would watch it regularly,\u201d she added with a laugh.<\/p>\n

Heads nodded, laughter filled the room, and stories flowed freely \u2014 the kind that only teammates who have shared long journeys together can tell.<\/p>\n

And just when the room settled into that comfortable silence of shared memories, Chanderkanta gently steered the conversation back to their days with Air India \u2014 days when cricket, travel and friendship blended into a life that none of them had imagined would one day feel so distant, yet so close.<\/p>\n

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The past that carved the way for a promising future.<\/p>\n

The #SSAces2026<\/a> honoured 10 former Indian women’s cricket team captains, who were instrumental in laying the foundation for the sport in the country.<\/p>\n

Featuring Sudha Shah, Diana Edulji, Shubhangi Kulkarni, Nilima Joglekar,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/5ZGUoKyZp4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sportstar (@sportstarweb) March 14, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Aparna, a former Mumbai captain and an Air India veteran, was quick to respond. \u201cBack in those days, Air India possibly had the best team. You name a player and she was part of the squad,\u201d she said with pride.<\/p>\n

Chanderkanta smiled as she remembered the hesitation that once stood between her and Mumbai. \u201cComing from a small town, my parents wondered how I would manage in a big metro like Mumbai. So they didn\u2019t allow me to move,\u201d she said, before pausing for a moment. \u201cNow it feels so good to see young players chasing their dreams freely, and their parents supporting them.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more than three decades now, Chanderkanta has been living in Hounslow in the United Kingdom. Though she remains involved in coaching at the local level, the former India captain, under whom Mithali Raj made her international debut, admits there is one lingering regret.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter marriage, I shifted to the UK. Even though I\u2019m still connected with the game through coaching, it would have been nice to extend my cricketing career,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Purnima nodded in agreement. \u201c Kya player thi Chander\u00a0<\/i>(What a player Chander was)! She was one of the grittiest of our times,\u201d she said warmly.<\/p>\n

\"Chanderkanta<\/p>\n
\n

Chanderkanta Kaul (R) and Veenu Gopal, the opening pair of North Zone, go out to bat during a cricket match in March 1997.
\n | Photo Credit:
\n THE HINDU ARCHIVES\n <\/p>\n

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Chanderkanta Kaul (R) and Veenu Gopal, the opening pair of North Zone, go out to bat during a cricket match in March 1997.
\n | Photo Credit:
\n THE HINDU ARCHIVES\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After stepping away from coaching international teams in 2017, Purnima chose a very different life. Today, her sprawling farm on the outskirts of Secunderabad keeps her busy, offering a calm contrast to the intensity of cricket.<\/p>\n

And when she is not tending to her farm, she has other companions to keep her entertained \u2014 three cats she fondly calls her \u201c Sholay\u00a0<\/i>trio\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI call them\u00a0 Sholay<\/i>,\u201d she said with a smile, referring to the iconic film\u00a0 Sholay<\/i>. \u201cOne of them is Jay, the other Viru, and the third one is Basanti. So the Sholay trio keeps me busy and entertained.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recently, she has also started a homestay near Kalimpong, which means much of her time is now spent travelling between Bagdogra and Secunderabad. \u201cI love living close to nature,\u201d she said softly. \u201cThat keeps me alive and keeps me going.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they started playing the game, the Women\u2019s Cricket Association of India (WCAI) was the governing body. Resources were limited, opportunities were scarce, but passion kept the group going. And as Nilima Jogalekar, one of the pioneers of the game, fondly recalled, even the smallest recognition meant the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI received my first prize for cricket in that game,\u201d she said with a smile. \u201cA glucose biscuit from the umpire. I got it for scoring a boundary \u2014 from the only shot I had at that time: a swing to the leg-side.\u201d<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t an ordinary match. It was played at Nehru Stadium during the first national tournament in 1973.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was our prize. And today, thanks to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the players have got all the support and the results are showing,\u201d she said, praising India\u2019s World Cup triumph last year.<\/p>\n

\"India<\/p>\n
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India women\u2019s team players Smitha Harikrishna and Anju Jain (R) during the Hero Honda Women’s World Cup ODI match against West Indies in Faridabad.
\n | Photo Credit:
\n THE HINDU ARCHIVES\n <\/p>\n

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India women\u2019s team players Smitha Harikrishna and Anju Jain (R) during the Hero Honda Women’s World Cup ODI match against West Indies in Faridabad.
\n | Photo Credit:
\n THE HINDU ARCHIVES\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sudha Shah and Shubhangi Kulkarni, former captains who are now associated with the BCCI, believe that with improved facilities and visibility, the fan base has grown immensely.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we started playing, people came to watch us out of curiosity. Our matches weren\u2019t televised; we were lucky if we found a few corners in a newspaper. That was enough for us,\u201d Sudha said. \u201cWe are so happy to see packed stadiums today. In our times, maybe a few of us were household names because of newspaper coverage. Today, all 15 players are household names due to massive coverage. That\u2019s a huge step forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

In those days, travelling in unreserved train compartments and staying in dormitories was the norm. Players would often rely on local transport to reach grounds, carrying little more than hope and determination.<\/p>\n

RELATED | When a search for Sanju Samson led to Glenn McGrath, Sunil Gavaskar\u2026 and hockey<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was hardly any prize money, and we didn\u2019t know where the future lay,\u201d one of them recalled. \u201cBut that never stopped us from chasing our dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to keep pictures of Glenn McGrath in my wallet and dream that I could bowl like him,\u201d Jhulan said with a smile.<\/p>\n

Anju Jain, now a respected coach, says she often reminds young players to stay grounded because she knows how unpredictable the game can be.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost players are focused these days, but as coaches our job is to help them handle success and failure better. That\u2019s what I try to do,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

And it is this enduring passion that still drives that generation.<\/p>\n

\"Diana<\/p>\n
\n

Diana Edulji (centre) said India cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar was a big motivator during her career.
\n | Photo Credit:
\n EMMANUAL YOGINI\n <\/p>\n

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Diana Edulji (centre) said India cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar was a big motivator during her career.
\n | Photo Credit:
\n EMMANUAL YOGINI\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

While Diana Edulji still fondly remembers how Sunil Gavaskar motivated her in her early days \u2014 inspiring her to watch as much cricket as possible even today \u2014 Sandhya Agarwal spends her time travelling across the corners of Madhya Pradesh in search of new talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what,\u201d Sandhya said, her eyes lighting up with excitement, \u201cwe have discovered quite a few youngsters who will soon set the stage on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later in the evening, in a packed hall, the captains were felicitated for their immense contribution to the game. Of the 13 players who have led India so far, 10 were present \u2014 Shantha Rangaswamy could not attend as she was unwell, while prior commitments kept Anjum Chopra and Mithali away.<\/p>\n

But as the captains walked onto the stage to thunderous applause, their journey, from glucose-biscuit prizes to packed stadiums, told a powerful story.<\/p>\n

A story that whispered to every young dreamer in the room: never give up on your dreams.<\/p>\n

Published on Mar 16, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n