A 31-year-old girl from Coimbatore is doing one thing no transwoman in India has carried out earlier than. Rithika Sri is now officiating cricket matches throughout Salem, Namakkal, and Coimbatore districts, turning into the nation’s first transwoman cricket umpire. Her story just isn’t one in all in a single day success. It’s one in all repeated rejection, quiet persistence, and a assist system that arrived on the proper time.
She at the moment handles league fixtures and matches organised by teams reminiscent of Rotary Membership and BNI in Coimbatore. On the sphere, she is thought for calm and agency decision-making.
From BPO Employee to Cricket Umpire
Rithika’s journey in cricket started in 2019 in Mohali, Punjab, as an worker of a BPO (Enterprise Course of Outsourcing) firm beneath the identify Muthuraj. She took an curiosity in umpiring whereas watching IPL matches on TV. She then moved again to her hometown, Salem, to discover that curiosity.
There, she was mentored by a district umpiring official, Jayaraman, to organize for umpiring exams. After two years of coaching, Jayaraman’s spouse identified Rithika’s gender identification, a revelation that sparked an emotional dialog. Rithika had been residing her life in secret till now, believing it might jeopardise her budding profession.
Jayaraman responded with acceptance. He inspired her to first construct her {qualifications} and confidence earlier than transitioning. That recommendation, and the backing behind it, gave her the footing she wanted.
Stopped on the Gate on Debut Day
Her debut as a transwoman umpire in 2024 didn’t go easily. At a floor in Coimbatore, safety personnel blocked her entry. She had official credentials, however that made no distinction on the gate. She was turned away.
The Indian Specific reported that she stood her floor, informed the safety guard she was there to umpire, and pushed again. She was ultimately allowed in — almost 45 minutes late.
What might have ended her profession in its first hour as a substitute hardened her resolve. The Coimbatore Cricket Affiliation stood by her following the incident, guaranteeing she was handled with respect on the sphere going ahead. Senior umpires and directors supplied assist. Gamers started addressing her as “ma’am.”
“Cricketers name me ‘ma’am’. I’m comfortable and grateful,” Rithika mentioned.
What Rithika Is Working Towards
Rithika holds a diploma in mechanical engineering. She was raised by a single mom alongside six siblings in tough circumstances. Cricket umpiring, for her, isn’t just a career; it’s the area the place she has discovered each identification and acceptance.
Her targets are clear. She needs to officiate on the state stage, earn recognition from the Board of Management for Cricket in India, and ultimately stand in IPL and worldwide matches.
The highway to these phases is lengthy. However Rithika has already lined floor that no transwoman in Indian cricket had lined earlier than. Every match she officiates extends that boundary a bit of additional.
Her story sits on the intersection of sport, identification, and inclusion — and it’s only getting began.
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