Sunita Sharma: Making it big in a man's world

It makes for quite an unconventional sight when a lady walks onto the cricket field wearing bangles and starts giving instructions to a bunch of budding cricketers, but it hardly takes a minute to understand that she commands respect of one and all because of her sincerity, devotion and hard work.

Her students greet her by touching her feet everyday, while her colleagues bow in respect when Sunita Sharma makes it to her coaching centre and it doesn't come as a surprise as she has earned every bit of it through her unparallel dedication in the last 27 years.

She not just created history by becoming the first woman cricket coach of the country but over the years she has proved her worth by producing innumerable national and internationals players – both men and women. Silencing her critics, she has achieved what was once thought as 'impossible'.

Fighting against odds - especially the gender-discrimination, the road to success hasn't being easy for this Dornacharya awardee.

As the lady puts it, "It was very difficult for me initially and the senior boys were not ready to take me as a coach. They would challenge me and ask to play certain kinds of shots, besides teasing me but I never let that affect me. Even the parents were reluctant to send their kids to me and would rather prefer my male counterparts.

"However, the problems lasted for only a year as eventually people found out that I am equally capable as compared to my male colleagues, while, in addition I have a motherly caring side to me as well. Moreover, my patient dealing with the kids made me popular and things became easy gradually."

Apart from her coaching abilities, it was the media she says who have taken her cause and gave her confidence during her tough times.

"Media was the main driving force behind me. They used to write about me and appreciate my work. All that gave me enough strength to carry on initially."

With a little encouragement she went on the make cricketers of international stature and her real moment of glory came when Deep Dasgupta, whom she had trained since he was seven, broke into the national team and also hit a century in a Test against England in Mohali.

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