Former Mohali BPO Worker Becomes First Trans Umpire

Cricket is full of rituals, hierarchies, and old habits. That is exactly why this story lands. Rithika Sri — a 31-year-old umpire from Salem in Tamil Nadu — has become the first transwoman cricket umpire identified at the national level in India, after building her way up through local leagues and fighting through the kind of gatekeeping that usually stays invisible. This is not just a personal milestone. It is a sign that one of India’s most tradition-bound sports is being pushed, slowly, into making room. (sports.ndtv.com) ### Who is Rithika Sri? Rithika Sri is from Salem, holds a diploma in mechanical engineering, and did not come into cricket through the usual ex-player pipeline. Before umpiring, she worked at a call centre in Mohali, Punjab. That matters because this was not a polished academy story. It was a detour-filled path built from ordinary work, private struggle, and a very specific obsession with the game. (sports.ndtv.com) ### How did cricket enter the picture? Turns out the spark came while she was in Mohali, watching IPL matches and getting fascinated by umpiring itself — not batting, not bowling, but the craft of officiating. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to return to Salem, she decided to try (sports.ndtv.com) key mentor. (sports.ndtv.com) ### Why is umpiring the harder route? Because umpiring is authority without glamour. Players can earn affection. Umpires earn scrutiny. Every call is public, every mistake is remembered, and entry into the system depends heavily on local associations, exams, and senior officials decidin(sports.ndtv.com)dle and do the job. That is why this milestone feels bigger than a résumé line. (sports.ndtv.com) ### When did she start officiating? Rithika has been umpiring in the Salem and Coimbatore circuits since 2021, working league matches across Salem, Namakkal, and Coimbatore districts. She transitioned in 2024, after first establishing herself in the umpiring system. That sequence was no(sports.ndtv.com)ned earlier. (sports.ndtv.com) ### What resistance did she face? The ugly part came fast. On one early visit to a ground in Coimbatore after her transition, security staff denied her entry and she got in only after pushing the issue — roughly 45 minutes late in one account. She has also spoken about hurtful comments (sports.ndtv.com)roblem was never just cricket. Cricket exposed the social rulebook around it. (sports.ndtv.com) ### What changed inside the system? A small administrative change carries a lot of weight here. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association’s State Panel Umpire exam application now includes an “Other” option in the gender category. That sounds minor, but forms are gatekeepers. If the form does (sports.ndtv.com)side the system. (firstpost.com) ### Why does this matter beyond one person? Because representation in sport usually gets discussed through athletes. Officials matter too. Umpires, referees, selectors, and administrators decide who is seen as legitimate. Rithika’s rise means a transwo(firstpost.com)ch harder one to win. (sports.ndtv.com) ### Bottom line Rithika Sri’s story is about cricket, but it is really about access. A former Mohali BPO worker watched the IPL, went home, learned the laws, survived the gatekeeping, transitioned, and kept showing up. Now Indian cricket has a first — and, if the system follows through, not a last. (sports.ndtv.com)