Sachin Tendulkar Helps Cricket Captain Get Railways Job

Sometimes it takes a legend to cut through red tape, and that's exactly what happened when India's women's cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur needed help securing a job with Indian Railways.

Diana Edulji, a former India captain and ICC Hall of Famer, was trying to bring Harmanpreet from Punjab to Mumbai for better opportunities. But bureaucracy stood in the way.

When Northern Railway rejected Harmanpreet's application despite her status as an international cricket star, Edulji turned to someone whose name carries weight across India. She asked Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary batsman known as the "God of cricket," for help.

Tendulkar immediately agreed and wrote a recommendation letter. Edulji sent it to the Railway Board along with Harmanpreet's application, confident the issue would be resolved.

The Railways rejected it anyway.

Edulji wasn't about to accept that answer. She picked up the phone and called Arvind Kumar, the Railways Board chairman directly.

"The God of cricket, the Bharat Ratna, the best cricketer we have had," she told him. "If you say no to him, who will you say yes to? Let me know or close shop."

Kumar invited her to Delhi to discuss the matter. But Edulji saw an opportunity to help more than just one athlete.

She brought Harmanpreet's application along with five others from international wrestlers and weightlifters who faced similar obstacles. All six were approved that day.

The Ripple Effect

What started as one captain fighting for another turned into opportunities for half a dozen elite athletes. These weren't just jobs—they were pathways to continue representing India while earning stable income.

The story, shared at the launch of "Her Story, Her Glory," a book chronicling Indian women's cricket, highlights how Indian female athletes still face barriers their male counterparts rarely encounter. It also shows what's possible when influential figures use their platform to advocate for others.

Harmanpreet went on to captain India's women's cricket team, leading them to international success. The other five athletes continued their careers representing India on the world stage.

Sometimes changing the system requires someone willing to push back, and that day in Delhi, Diana Edulji made sure bureaucracy didn't win.