Leggie Ankita is VCA’s 1st BCCI panel women umpire

By Paritosh Pramanik

Indian women have breached into almost every profession that was once dominated by men. From holding top ranks in armed forces to leading major corporate houses, producing exemplary performances on the field and making their mark with aplomb off it. Women have made a giant leap in male dominated professions including sports.

Running shoulder to shoulder with men, Vidarbha women cricketers are proving their worth on the field, and now they have started carving a niche for themselves off it. Ankita Guha, a former leg-spinner of Vidarbha, has become first women umpire from VCA after she cleared the BCCI umpires examination with flying colours. The examination was held at Ahmedabad.

Speaking with ‘The Hitavada’, Ankita, who has played a decent number Women’s List A matches for Vidarbha said that an injury in 2017-18 season forced her to think about her future.

“When in 2018 I got injured, I was forced to quit playing but decided to stay connected with the game. I wanted to become a match referee. Farookh Dastur sir (VCA CEO)asked me to appear for the umpires examination. I cleared the VCA State panel examination last year and applied for the BCCI examination. I cleared the four-stage examination in the first attempt itself,” Ankita, who works with the Indian Air Force at Vayusena Nagar, said.

A leg-spinner, Ankita has played seven two-day matches, apart from 25 One-Day and 15 T20s for Vidarbha.

“Being a player I got the opportunity to directly appear for the Level-2 examination of the BCCI and I am happy that I cleared it,” Ankita, daughter of late father Shyamal and mother Dolly, proudly said.

Ankita, who is working as a Joint Controller of Defence Accounts, thanked the entire VCA committee, her mentors umpires Abhijit Deshmukh, Nitin Pandit, Vinit Kulkarni, Vinayak Kulkarni for their constant support. 

“I want to officiate in ODIs and Women Premier League. But I want to take one step at a time,” 37-year-old Ankita concluded.