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Mithali Raj

movie Cricketer cake 3 December 1982 (Friday) (Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India)
height

Height

in centimeters- 163 cm in meters- 1.63 m in feet inches- 5’ 4”

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Age

42

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Nation

Indian

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Basic Information

Date of Birth: 3 December 1982 (Friday)
Birthplace: Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
Nationality: Indian
Hometown: Secunderabad, India

Family & Relationships

Marital Status: Unmarried

Education

Schools: Keyes High School For Girls, Secunderabad Kasturba Gandhi Junior College for Women in West Marredpally (Secunderabad)
Colleges: Did Not Attend
Education: 12th Standard

Lifestyle

Religion: Hinduism

person_book Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Mithali Raj

  • Does Mithali Raj smoke?: No
  • Does Mithali Raj drink alcohol?: Yes

    Mithali Raj With A Glass of Wine
    Mithali Raj With A Glass of Wine
  • Mithali was born into a Tamil Family in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur; where her father, Dorai Raj, was on his last Indian Air Force posting.

    Mithali Raj
    Mithali Raj’s Childhood Photo
  • Mithali’s mother, Leela, describes her entry into Cricket as serendipitous; as she became fond of the game by accompanying her elder brother, Mithun, to his 6 am cricket coaching class at St John’s Academy.

    Mithali Raj With Her Elder Brother Mithun
    Mithali Raj With Her Elder Brother Mithun
  • Mithali grew up calling her elder brother by the north Indian nickname Bhaiya. She also grew up wanting to follow him in whatever he did.
  • In an interview, Mithali’s mother revealed about her that she was very lazy in her childhood who always enjoyed her sleep. However, when it was about to accompany her brother to his 6 am cricket coaching, she would give up her habit of sleeping late.
  • For a time pass, while Mithun and other boys practised, Mithun’s coach Jyoti Prasad would often play a side game of Cricket with the 6-year-old Mithali.
  • It was Jyoti Prasad who recognized Mithali’s cricketing skills and suggested to her father “Instead of concentrating on your son, I think it’s better you start concentrating on the girl.” Prasad also suggested Mithali’s parents a National Institute of Sports coach named Sampath Kumar.
  • Thereafter, Mithali ventured into Sampath Kumar’s girls’ cricket Sports Glory Club for about two months when he noticed her.
  • Soon, Sampath Kumar became so impressed with the cricketing skills of Mithali that he called her parents and said, “this girl is good. I am planning to make her play for the country.” Initially, Mithali’s parents didn’t take Kumar seriously.
  • Sampath Kumar was so confident about Mithali’s game that he further said to her parents, “She is playing-for-the-country material. I, as a coach, I can take the challenge. But as parents, I need you guys also then only we can work on it… I will want her to play for the country when she’s 14 years. Sachin Tendulkar had a record. So why not we make this girl?’”
  • Under the mentorship of Kumar, at barely 9, Mithali was selected to play for the state in the sub-juniors tournament and became the youngest to do so.
  • Mithali played her first match outside her hometown when she was chosen for the sub-juniors and was expected to travel to Jalandhar, nearly 2,000 km away.
  • Thereafter, Mithali went on in and out of her home for more than 15 to 20 days in a month, travelling the length and breadth of the country for matches.
  • After sub-juniors, Mithali went on to be selected in the junior and the senior teams; successively.
  • At every stage, Mithali’s parents stood behind her. Even her mother had to resign from her work so that she could better take care of her food.

    Mithali Raj Mother Leela Raj Sitting In Her Home
    Mithali Raj Mother Leela Raj Sitting In Her Home
  • When Mithali’s coach told her mother that Mithali should never travel by public transport, she drove Mithali to practice on a two-wheeler.
  • When the 1997 World Cup was approaching, Mithali, a tender 14, was selected as a probable. However, she couldn’t make it to the team.
  • Thereafter, she began representing on the domestic scene first Air-India and later the railways.
  • When the 17-year-old Mithali made her ODI debut at Milton Keynes, England, where she scored an unbeaten 114 against Ireland; unfortunately her coach Sampath Kumar Kumar wasn’t there to see his prediction becoming true; as he had been killed two years earlier in an accident. However, Mithali never looked back after that tour.
  • When Mithali returned home from her first abroad tour in England; she recieved a warm welcome from all across the state and country.

    Mithali being congratulated by Governor, K. Rangarajan and Sports Minister P. Ramulu
    Mithali being congratulated by Governor, K. Rangarajan and Sports Minister P. Ramulu
  • Her first love was dance, but she quit it at the age of 8 and chose cricket over it. She pursued dancing; especially Bharat Natyam, for many years, right till Class 8.

    Mithali Raj During A Dance Performance In Her School
    Mithali Raj During A Dance Performance In Her School
  • She is an avid reader and often takes time to read her favourite books and novels.

    Mithali Raj Reading A Book
    Mithali Raj Reading A Book
  • She was the first women to win the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the year in 2015.
  • Mithali is a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar and has also earned the nickname of “Tendulkar of Indian women’s cricket.”

    Mithali Raj With Sachin Tendulkar
    Mithali Raj With Sachin Tendulkar
  • In October 2017, she appeared on the cover of Vogue India Magazine along with Shah Rukh Khan and Nita Ambani.

    Mithali Raj on The Cover of Vogue Magazine
    Mithali Raj on The Cover of Vogue Magazine
  • Mithali is also a huge fan of Amitabh Bachchan, and in September 2017, she appeared on the show of Kaun Banega Crorepati.

    Mithali Raj With Amitabh Bachchan
    Mithali Raj With Amitabh Bachchan
  • After reaching the finals of the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup, Mithali and her team received applauds from many dignitaries including the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.

    Mithai Raj With Narendra Modi
    Mithai Raj With Narendra Modi
  • In 2017, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures acquired the rights to make a biopic on her life. When asked about her choice of actress to play the lead in the film, Mithali said, “I think Priyanka Chopra will be a great choice.” Eventually, Taapsee Pannu played Mithali’s role in her biopic “Shabaash Mithu.”

    The poster of Mithali Raj
    The poster of Mithali Raj’s Biopic Shaabash Mithu
  • Here’s an interesting video about Mithai Raj’s biography:

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