WPL 2024: Who is Jacintha Kalyan? Know all about India's first-ever Female Pitch Curator

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Jacintha Kalyan, a woman from Bengaluru, has made history by becoming India's first-ever female pitch curator.

She is honing the responsibility of the pitch during the first phase of the ongoing WPL 2024 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Who is Jacintha Kalyan?

Jacintha Kalyan is the current pitch curator for the Chinnaswamy Stadium for the WPL 2024. She has been one of the pioneers of this profession and has now written history as the first-ever female pitch curator in India.

Jacintha was born in a village named Harobele, around 80 km away from Bengaluru. She was born to a paddy farmer and had to face financial struggles during her early days.

Jacintha has been associated with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for more than three decades. She started at KSCA as a receptionist and then was elevated as an administrator. But the love for the green and pitch has now taken her towards a new journey. She is now the chief pitch curator leading the Bengaluru phase of the WPL 2024.

"I'm not a cricketer, I used to watch the game once in a while. Except fours and sixes, I understood nothing. In 2014, Brijesh (Patel) sir (the then KSCA Secretary) asked me to do some man management of the groundsmen. It took me around 6 months to get used to the role. Then he asked Prashanth (Rao) sir (chief curator) to guide and teach me everything about the art of preparing pitches since he thought I showed interest," Kalyan was quoted as saying by Deccan Herald.

Not only her journey is an inspiring one, but her grit and motivation are also something to appreciate. BCCI secretary Jay Shah also took note of her emergence and penned a heartfelt message on social media.

"In a historic stride for Indian cricket, Jacintha Kalyan has become the trailblazing pioneer as the first female cricket pitch curator in our nation. Taking the helm of pitch preparation for the inaugural leg of the Women's Premier League in Bengaluru, Jacintha embodies the essence of determination and the will to break barriers.

Jacintha's groundbreaking achievement is a testament to her commitment and passion for the sport. Her role in overseeing the pitch for the Women's Premier League marks a significant turning point in the sport, highlighting the evolving landscape of cricket in India," Shah wrote on X.

Jacintha has thus opened a new avenue for women to explore and it is to be seen if her story will provide more female pitch curators in this country in future.