Two new spectator areas at the ACA–VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam will shortly carry the names of Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana. The unveiling is pencilled in for 12 October, a few hours before India’s Women’s World Cup fixture against Australia, so the ground should be reasonably full when the plaques go up.
The call to recognise the pair came from India opener Smriti Mandhana during an on-stage chat titled ‘Breaking the Boundaries’ back in August. Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh liked the idea, took it to the Andhra Cricket Association and the wheels turned quickly.
“The ACA’s tribute to Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana reflects a deep commitment to honouring the trailblazers who have redefined women’s cricket in India while inspiring the next generation to dream bigger,” the ACA explained in a release.
“Smriti Mandhana’s thoughtful suggestion captured a wider public sentiment,” minister Lokesh added. “Translating that idea into immediate action reflects our collective commitment to gender parity and to acknowledging the trailblazers of women’s cricket.”
So, why these two? Raj’s numbers alone make the case. The former captain is still the leading run-scorer in women’s ODIs: 7,805 runs in 232 appearances, average 50.68, seven hundreds. There’s more: 2,364 T20I runs at 37.52, and a Test best of 214 — still the highest by an Indian in the format. She bowed out in 2022 after 23 international seasons, a span just about unmatched in the women’s game.
Kalpana, seven ODIs between 2015 and 2016, has nothing like those figures, yet her impact in Andhra is hard to overstate. Growing up in Tirupati and breaking into the national side, she showed local girls that “India colours” were not just for players from the traditional power centres. Arundhati Reddy, S Meghana and N Shree Charani have all cited Kalpana’s path as proof that theirs was possible too.
A couple of points worth chewing over. First, women’s cricket in India rarely sees tangible honours inside big stadia; the Raj and Kalpana stands follow the Jamtha pavilion named after Jhulan Goswami, but examples are still thin on the ground. Second, the timing feels smart. A high-profile World Cup match, live TV, and a near-capacity crowd should give the gesture the visibility it deserves without anybody turning it into a circus.
There will, of course, be the odd raised eyebrow about two stands in one go — some would prefer one name now, another later. But in a sport that’s trying to sprint after decades of shuffling, quick recognition is probably a good habit to form.
