It’s different now, but many women over the age of 40 would remember when they tried to participate in team sports like cricket, hockey or football, they were either shooed away by the boys or scolded by their parents for wasting time with "uchhal kood" (jumping about).

Sports were not considered ‘suitable’ for girls, particularly after puberty, and making a career out of playing a ‘game’ was not even in the realm of possibility. Which is why the Indian women’s team winning the World Cup is such a big thing—not just the victory, but what it will do for the still struggling women’s sports in the country.

There were a few female sportspersons over the years—Nilima Ghose is widely considered to be India’s first female sports star. She was part of the first female team, which included Mary D

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