Submitted by: Rajoo Ananth

Shantha Rangaswamy, a pioneering figure in Indian women's cricket was hosted by ISW on June 23, 2024 with help from Sharat Amin and women’s cricket coach Meera Subramanian. It was a fantastic open-hearted meeting with a humble, yet very significant cricket trailblazing and inspiring captain of the Indian cricket with so many awards and titles. It left us all in awe and wonder if we can try to inspire our US women’s teams towards world class performances with our community supports.

Shantha Rangaswamy became the first captain of the Indian women's cricket team in 1976 and led India to its first Test victory against the West Indies in the same year. She was the first Indian woman cricketer to score a Test century, achieving this milestone against New Zealand in 1977. As an all-rounder, Rangaswamy played 16 Test matches, scoring 750 runs at an average of 32.60 and taking 21 wickets. She also played 19 ODIs, scoring 287 runs and taking 12 wickets. She was the first woman cricketer to receive the Arjuna Award in 1976. In 2017, she became the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Women by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). After her playing career, Rangaswamy continued to contribute to cricket as a coach, selector, and commentator. She also became the first Indian female cricketer to represent the Indian Cricketers’ Association and the BCCI Apex Council in 2019.

Q and A with audience was very interactive and entertaining with inside stories from her life experiences. She stated that her secret to success was her passion for the game and full support from her family. She assured the audience that she will continue to offer all her expertise to enhance women’s cricket all over the world including our coach Meera Subramanian’s local cricket team Chikaddees in Massachusetts.