Indian Cricketers on Saturday sported their mothers’ names on their jerseys to applaud their role in shaping their careers in a campaign to change attitudes towards women in the patriarchal country.
The “Nayi Soch (New Thinking)” initiative pitched by official broadcasters Star Sports saw the players don the renamed jerseys in the fifth and final one-day international against New Zealand in the Indian city of Visakhapatnam.
Openers Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma then walked out to bat with Sujata and Purnima written above their jersey numbers instead of their surnames which refer to their fathers’ family names.
Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rahane also feature in TV advertisements to promote the campaign which seeks to recognise the contribution of millions of Indian mothers in shaping their children’s lives and values.
Patriarchy remains deeply entrenched in Indian society with women battling gender inequality on many fronts including limited access to job opportunities, healthcare and education.
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