India’s blind women cricketers still await promised house sites and jobs a year after World Cup win
Deepika T.C. and her teammates said they remain without promised house sites and government jobs nearly a year after winning the inaugural Women’s T20 World Cup for the Blind in November 2025, an issue they raised at a felicitation in Mangalampalem on October 4, 2026. Players told organisers that the lack of follow-through from leaders and officials is affecting their daily lives and preparations.
Deepika captained India to the title in the tournament that was hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka in November 2025. She comes from Madakasira in Sri Sathya Sai district, developed vision problems as an infant, completed a degree, and pursued cricket despite family financial difficulties; her parents, Timmappa and Chittemma, encouraged her practice in Bengaluru. Deepika also received special recognition for scoring 92 off 45 balls against Australia in a World Cup match.
She and her 15 teammates said they do not receive basic local facilities such as playgrounds or fitness guidance and cannot afford training in big cities. The players said leaders who made public promises have shown little interest in securing the government jobs and house sites they were promised. The team manager and players described these shortfalls as a barrier to daily life and sporting preparation.
On the challenge of accessing promised housing, Deepika told The Hindu: "Due to our partial vision issues, we cannot move around government offices to follow up on house site issues. The government has to do its own and instill confidence among us." Her remarks highlighted the practical difficulty the players say they face in pursuing paperwork and follow-ups.
Pangi Karuna Kumari of Paderu in Alluri Sitharama Raju district said she hoped the government would provide her a job so she could support her family. Other squad members named as awaiting consistent support included Simu Das (Assam), Sushma Patel and Durga Yevle (Madhya Pradesh), Jamuna Rani (Odisha), Anikha Devi (Jammu and Kashmir) and Kavya N.R. (Karnataka). The team’s manager said the players are aged between 16 and 28 and that most come from poor rural homes.
The Cricket Association for the Blind in India selects players from villages across the country and trains them but needs funds for coaching, fitness, food and travel. At a felicitation organised by the Sri Gurudeva Charitable Trust in Mangalampalem in Vizianagaram district on October 4, 2026, Hindustan Shipyard Limited provided ₹50,000 to each player under its corporate social responsibility programme. Team manager and coach Shikha Shetty thanked HSL Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram and Director (Finance) E. Kiran for the contribution.
Minister for MSME Kondapalli Srinivas handed over a ₹50,000 cheque from Hindustan Shipyard Limited to Pangi Karuna Kumari at the event, and the trust’s founder, Raparthi Jagadish Babu, requested the minister ensure dedicated support for the State’s players. Ms. Shetty said the financial aid would lift the players’ morale ahead of their next competitive assignment.
The Indian blind women’s team are scheduled to play a series against Nepal in New Delhi in December 2026, a fixture organisers and the team have cited as the immediate next step in their calendar. The October 4, 2026 felicitation and the CSR payments were presented in the context of preparations for that December series.