Late recognition

"The late Aloo Bamjee started women’s cricket in India — she can be termed its pioneer,” says Diana Edulji, former captain of the women’s team and one of the most recognized faces of women’s cricket in India. "Her career actually took roots in 1971 when Bamjee formed the women’s first cricket club — "Albees” at the Cricket Club of India (CCI in Bombay),” states Sportal, the website of the union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport.

Writing a tribute to Bamjee in the September 2007 issue of From the Pavilion End (the newsmagazine of the CCI), noted sports writer Pradeep Vijayakar states: "It is a tragedy that she is remembered more after she passed away on the eve of Parsi New Year in August 2007.” She was 85 at the time of her death.

Aloo Bamjee: pioneering women’s cricket

Aloo and her husband Homi had been great cricket enthusiasts, watching cricket avidly from the wicker chairs at the CCI. When Homi died, Aloo decided to give shape to their dream of encouraging women players. "The Albees (the name being a mix of the letters of her first name and surname) club was formed with necessary permission taken from the Club authorities. There were 50-60 girls, including a number of Parsis — Silloo Medhora, Rashna Vaid, myself, my sister Behroze…I recall there were many girls from Cusrow Baug,” Diana narrates.

Among the first coaches were Raj Singh Dungarpur and Arvind Apte. "Aloo would come with her brother-in-law Kawas in a spic and span Morris Minor, a typical Parsi owned car. She was a very caring yet strict lady, well-versed in the game. I remember when we went to Poona for the first nationals in women’s cricket in the early ’70s, she traveled with us and stayed with the team. It was very basic accommodation in an educational institution, with benches as beds. Vaid was the captain of the team and we were all overjoyed when we won the first championship,” relates Diana who wore the India colors for over 20 years and played against England, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies… "It is a great pity that the Women’s Cricket Association of India (now merged with the Board of Control for Cricket in India) never recognized her services.”

Diana’s last interaction with Bamjee was when she invited the silver-haired lady to be the chief guest at her (Edulji’s) benefit match in 1997. "I told her ‘since I have learnt from you and come up in my career, no one but you can be the chief guest.’ We are trying to get a trophy in women’s cricket to be dedicated to her.”