visakhapatnam: In a move toward celebrating women athletes, AP HRD minister N. Lokesh inaugurated the Mithali Raj Stand and Raavi Kalpana Gate at the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Others Present at the event Included International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah, Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) President Kesineni Sivanath, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta Baird, CEO Todd Greenberg, BCCI President Mithun Manhas, Secretary Devajit Saikia, Joint Prabhtej Bhatia, and Senior Aca Officials Srinivas and vishnu dantu.
Mithali Raj is India’s highest scorer in women’s internationals with 10,868 runs in a career lasting 23 years. She received a handcrafted silver cricket ball bearing the ACA emblem. Lokesh praised her as “an institution in Indian cricket” and hoped that hundreds of Mithalis will emerge from Andhra Pradesh.
Moved by the honour, Mithali said, “As a little girl, I only dreamt of playing for India. I never imagined girls would look up to me. This honour is overwhelming.” Mithali went on to congratulate wicket-keeper, batter Raavi Kalpana, who has a stadium gate named in her honour.
Kalpana, humbled by the recognition, said, “Getting honoured alongside Mithali didi is beyond imagination. Andhra has produced talents like Arundhati Reddy and S. Meghana. I’m confident many more girls will make the country proud.”
The honour comes in the wake of a roundtable on gender stereotyping in August 2025. A leading women’s cricketer called for stadium stands to also be named after women players. Andhra Cricket Association responded swiftly, making permanent a space for two icons of Indian women’s cricket at the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
ICC chairman Jay Shah called the gesture visionary, noting that Mithali’s legacy will inspire young girls across the cricketing world. ACA President Sivanath said the Association is proud to be the first to name a stand after Mithali and gate after Kalpana, celebrating both their achievements during the rise of Indian women’s cricket in the world.
