For women, financial independence is empowering and transformative: Mithali Raj

Mithali RajWhen I started my cricketing journey, there was hardly any money in women’s cricket, and it wasn’t under the BCCI back then. I hailed from a middle-class family and while both my parents were working, my mom had to quit her job to look after my brother and me. I have seen my father struggle because apart from managing household expenses, he also had to ensure that I had good equipment to play cricket, which was expensive. At that point, women’s cricket wasn’t a sport that gave you something back in terms of money.‘Getting a job at 18 was a big moment’When I got a job with the railways at 18, it was a big moment. I could see how relieved my father was and for me to be employed at 18 and share that burden of managing the household expenses, it made me very happy. As athletes, we are so engrossed in our sport that we tend to not focus much on other things. For the longest time, my father was taking care of my investments. But when I was about 24 or 25, he told me that I should start giving a little more thought to managing my money and investing smartly. Even at that point, I wasn’t earning much, but it was great advice.‘Financial independence allows you to express your views without hesitation’Financial independence gives a woman a quiet but undeniable strength. When you earn your own income and contribute to your household, it builds a deep sense of self-worth and assurance. It’s not just about the money — it’s about the confidence that comes with knowing you can stand on your own feet. That independence allows you to express your views without hesitation, to make choices without fear, and to shape your life on your own terms. It shifts your mindset to owning your space. In many ways, financial independence is not just empowering—it is transformative.‘Young girls should have a clear vision regarding finances’I want to tell young girls in college that while you’re planning where you see yourselves three or five years from now, it’s equally important to have a clear vision for your finances. Think about how you want to earn, spend, save, and invest—and make financial planning a part of your overall goals. Often, we realise the importance of saving or managing expenses only when we face a financial setback. By then, it feels like we should have planned better. Having clear financial goals early on gives you direction, discipline, and security. Everyone’s ambitions are unique, and if a woman’s aspiration is to earn wealth and build financial success, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Ambition, in any form, deserves respect. What truly matters is approaching that goal with clarity, planning, and confidence along the way.‘Women sportspersons should be educated about managing their finances’During my playing days, I have seen girls from very modest financial backgrounds pursuing the sport, and things weren’t easy for them. Today, there are a lot of avenues for sportspersons. You can associate in a different capacity with the sport and earn money. For instance, after retirement, you can become an umpire, a scorer, or a video analyst. In the current era, when women cricketers have equal match fees and the WPL is doing so well, it is important that players are educated about how to manage their finances.(As told to Soumitra Das)