Whenever a match in which she performs is reported in the newspapers, cricketer Shebani Mandhakini Bhaskar amusedly scans the score card. Because reporters invariably get her name wrong.
Her father, Rajah Bhaskar thinks it underlines the apathetic attitude towards women's sports. Barring a few sports, sportswomen invariably get a raw deal, he says.
Fifteen-year-old Shebani, among the youngest to have played for the Tamil Nadu cricket team, has trained or had sessions with reputed coaches, including V. B. Chandrasekhar, Kalyan Mitra, Surekha Bhandari, Senthilnathan (MRF Pace Foundation), Sudha Shah and Sumathi Iyer. As she is committed to cricket (and golf, in which she is doing well for her age), she often feels defeated by the few cricket tournaments for women. “They play only two matches a year,' says Rajah. “Women in sports, not just cricket, need more encouragement.”
He acknowledges that men outnumber women in sports. But that can't be a reason to have fewer tournaments for women. “At the junior level, boys and girls can be allowed to play together. The United States has what is called the Little League where girls and boys under 14 or 15 compete together.”
An Indian-American and a senior visa officer at the U.S. Consulate, Chennai, Rajah does not simply wait, hoping things will get better in India. He has been trying to beat the odds, by encouraging his three daughters to take up a variety of sports.
Shebani's sister Meenakshi has an impressive record in rowing — bronze in the single scull event at the All-India Inter-University Rowing competition (Pong Dam, December 2009; gold at inter-varsity event (Kolkata, March, 2009); bronze as part of the Tamil Nadu team in the under-19 nationals at Orissa in October 2007; and, she struck gold twice in the under-16 nationals at Kodiakanal in June, 2004.
When the family stayed in Kolkata, Meenakshi rowed for West Bengal and Shebani played cricket for the State. Wherever they lived, including the United States, Germany, Australia and Dubai, the family has always been considered sports aficionados.
At his sprawling house in the city, Rajah has made space for a mind-boggling range of sports equipment. “Being hooked on sports is a fun way to stay fit,” he feels. Their faith in fitness through sports is reflected in Meenakshi's resolution to take up kinesiology for post-graduation.
Rajah Bhaskar was into competitive athletics during his youth; the family runs together to keep fit. The simple sports terms that Bhaskar's third child six-year-old Vijaishri bandies about, shows sports is the first gift a little one in this household gets.
“The support network the girls have is extensive,” says Rajah. Former table tennis player V. Chandrasekhar is an uncle. Accomplished rower Sneha Venkatraman is a cousin. Also, Shebani's school (Vidya Mandir) and Meenakshi's college (MOP Vaishnav) have helped them concentrate on sports.
