NEW DELHI: To support and promote the development of young, talented female cricketers, a programme – Anjum Chopra Scholarship – was on Tuesday announced with an aim to focus strongly on women’s and girls’ age-category cricket across the country.
The scholarship, a brainchild of PUSH Sports, will include financial support of INR one lakh per year towards training at PUSH Sports arenas and the opportunity to participate in exclusive tours within India and abroad over a 12-month period. This scholarship will help aspiring athletes achieve their full potential on and off the field.
The programme goes much beyond training and exposure as Push Sports will also work towards getting the athletes best equipment and gear through corporate sponsorships and work with them on a long-term basis to craft a successful sports career under the guidance of experienced professionals and mentors.
Anjum, a Padma Shri and Arjuna Award recipient, is a foremost name in women’s cricket. A former captain of the Indian women’s cricket team with an international playing career spanning 17 years, she is a notable face as a broadcaster on television.
After playing and now working closely at the grass root and state level, Anjum mentioned that “It is a privilege and pride to be associated with such a scholarship programme.”
On the announcement, Puru Singh, founder of Push Sports and former Delhi state player said, “Anjum Chopra will closely monitor the ten selected athletes herself. Push Sports stands for Passionate Underdog Sports House, and this is a well-thought-out gesture to give a firm push to the young girl/ women players that are training with us.”
The announcement comes at a time when three female cricketers, Shubhi Sharma and Ayati Sadotra, have been selected to represent Uttar Pradesh under-19 team and Jammu & Kashmir under-15 team, respectively. Also, Ishika has been selected for the Delhi women’s team for the senior women’s One Day Trophy for the domestic season 2022-23.
