Pune, Feb 6 (PTI) What began as a community cricket tournament to mark the end of the farming season has quietly turned into a platform for women farmers to step into leadership roles in rural Pune.
A farmers’ cricket tournament, organised as the concluding event of the CybageAsha Paddy Cup in Bhor and Velhe (now Rajgad) talukas, has shown how sports can drive social change by giving women visibility, confidence and a public voice, said organisers.
This year, the tournament saw participation from 35 men’s teams and 40 women’s teams, reflecting a shift in traditional rural dynamics as women increasingly moved beyond household and farm work into public spaces, they said.
For many women farmers, it was their first experience of organised sport and public competition. As team captains and players, they planned practice sessions, coordinated teams, resolved on-field issues and represented their villages, roles traditionally dominated by men.
Women participants said the experience helped build confidence that extended beyond the cricket ground.
“Leading a team gives you confidence. People start listening to you not just during the match, but also in village meetings and farming discussions,” said Swati Zende, captain of a winning women’s team.
She said while her team secured first place, the joy of participation mattered more than the prize.
Initially hesitant, elders and families gradually turned supporters, watching women play competitive cricket and cheering them on. Organisers said the tournament helped challenge social norms and encouraged conversations around women’s participation in leadership and decision-making.
The cricket tournament marked the finale of the Paddy Cup, an annual initiative held from May to December to promote sustainable and cost-effective paddy cultivation.
Explaining the programme, Ritu Nathani, Head of Cybage Foundation, said farmers work in teams of ten, encouraging peer learning, shared accountability and collective problem-solving. Each group follows 21 structured cultivation steps, combining traditional knowledge with scientific farming practices.
“Progress is monitored through WhatsApp groups, enabling continuous guidance from experts and regular knowledge-sharing among farmers. This approach has helped reduce input costs, improve yields and strengthen cooperation within villages,” she said.
About the cricket tournament, she said it was about creating opportunities for communities to come together, learn from one another and grow collectively.
Farmers said the teamwork developed during the farming season naturally carried over into the cricket tournament, reinforcing trust and collaboration built in the fields.
Sarjerao Kondhalkar, from the Paddy Cup-winning group of Chikhalawade village, said the initiative had made a tangible difference. “Our villages are located in remote, hilly areas with limited facilities. However, the right guidance helped participating farmer groups enhance their knowledge and increase income through the programme,” he said.
The 2025-26 edition of the annual event saw participation from over 4,500 farmers and their families. Groups are assessed through a transparent scoring system of up to 500 marks, with top-performing teams receiving financial recognition, said the organisers. PTI SPK NR
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