India's First Transwoman Cricket Umpire Makes History

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-04-30

A 31-year-old woman from Coimbatore is doing something no transwoman in India has done before. Rithika Sri is now officiating cricket matches across Salem, Namakkal, and Coimbatore districts, becoming the country's first transwoman cricket umpire. Her story isn't about overnight success. It's about repeated rejection, quiet persistence, and a support system that showed up at just the right time. She currently handles league fixtures and matches organized by groups like Rotary Club and BNI in Coimbatore. On the field, she's known for calm and firm decision-making. Players and officials respect her calls, and that respect didn't come easy. ### From BPO Worker to Cricket Umpire Rithika's journey in cricket began in 2019 in Mohali, Punjab, while working for a BPO company under the name Muthuraj. She got interested in umpiring by watching IPL matches on TV. That curiosity led her back to her hometown, Salem, to explore it further. There, a district umpiring official named Jayaraman mentored her for umpiring exams. After two years of training, Jayaraman's wife noticed Rithika's gender identity, sparking an emotional conversation. Rithika had been living in secret, afraid it would ruin her budding career. Jayaraman responded with acceptance. He told her to build her qualifications and confidence first before transitioning. That advice, and the support behind it, gave her the footing she needed to move forward.  ### Stopped at the Gate on Debut Day Her debut as a transwoman umpire in 2024 didn't go smoothly. At a cricket ground in Coimbatore, security guards blocked her entry. She had official credentials, but that didn't matter at the gate. She was turned away. According to The Indian Express, she stood her ground and told the guard she was there to umpire. She pushed back. Eventually, after nearly 45 minutes, she was allowed in. What could have ended her career in its first hour instead hardened her resolve. The Coimbatore Cricket Association backed her after the incident, ensuring she got respect on the field. Senior umpires and administrators offered support. Players started calling her "ma'am." > "Cricketers call me 'ma'am.' I am happy and grateful," Rithika said.  ### What Rithika Is Working Toward Rithika holds a diploma in mechanical engineering. She was raised by a single mother alongside six siblings in tough circumstances. For her, cricket umpiring isn't just a job—it's where she found both identity and acceptance. Her goals are clear: - Officiate at the state level - Earn recognition from the Board of Control for Cricket in India - Stand in IPL and international matches The road to those stages is long. But Rithika has already covered ground no transwoman in Indian cricket had covered before. Every match she officiates pushes that boundary further. Her story sits at the intersection of sport, identity, and inclusion—and it's only getting started. Each game she works is a step toward breaking barriers for others like her.