Save, educate and encourage girls toward sports: U19 skipper Puja

By Nagendra Kumar Karna,Mahottari, Nov. 25: Born in Dumarwana, a village in Ward No. 9 of Gaushala Municipality in Mahottari district, Puja Mahato was not well-known in the area. But it was only until a week ago. 

Now, Puja is not only a celebrated individual for the locals, but the whole country is proud of her. It results from Puja’s captainship in taking the U-19 side to their first T20 World Cup and Asia Cup. 

The Nepali U-19 Women’s team, led by skipper Puja, emerged at the top of the table in the Asian Qualifiers (November 6-13) between four teams in a double round-robin format. Nepal outperformed the hosts UAE alongside visitors Kuwait and Thailand to progress to the 2nd ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup and the inaugural ACC U-19 Women’s Asia Cup.

Puja was the most valuable player in the Asian Qualifiers and the only individual to hit an individual century throughout the tournament. She scored 272 runs and bagged 10 wickets in six matches. 

After the squad’s return to Nepal, Puja reached her village on November 15. Since then, she has been busy receiving honours from individuals and authorities, including Gaushala Municipality, who did not care before her achievements in the recent tournament.

“Previously, Gaushala Municipality was regularly requested to manage a ground for Puja to train. However, they did not care. Meanwhile, after Puja made the country proud, the same municipality and representatives are competing to honour her first,” said Narendra Mahato, a local youth of Gaushala.

Gaushala Municipality honoured Puja with a cash prize of Rs. 151,000 recently. Similarly, Madhes Province Sports Minister Pramod Kumar Jaiswal reached Puja’s house to congratulate her on the historic achievement.

Similarly, the locals of Gaushala had organised a victory procession for Puja when she returned home. 

Janakpur Bolts, a team in the Nepal Premier League, had honoured Puja by appointing her as the ‘Face of the Bolts’ and handing over a cash amount of Rs. 50,000. The Kushwaha Welfare Society also feted Puja with Rs. 51,000 and a letter of appreciation.

The honours and recognitions do not end here. The team of Janaki Academic Hospital Pvt. Ltd. honoured Puja with Rs. 11,000 and announced a 10 per cent discount on medicines and CT scans and 50 per cent on other services at the hospital for her family.

Likewise, Mahottari Rural Municipality, Mahottari District Cricket Association and Mahottari District Administration Office also felicitated Puja with Rs. 51,000, Rs. 55,555 and Rs. 51,000 respectively. She had received a hero’s welcome at the district headquarters of Jaleshwor. 

Nevertheless, in all the programmes she attended, Puja stressed the need for the authorities to increase the priority on girls. 

She suggested the local levels, provincial government and social organisations ensure that the girls of Madhes are safe, educated as well as motivated towards sports. 

“I am happy for the honour. I request the authorities increase the horizon of the ‘Beti Bachau, Beti Padhau’ (Save daughters, educate daughters) campaign by including ‘Beti Khelau’ (Empower daughters toward sports),” Puja stressed.

Puja is captaining the Nepali U-19 team in the Asia Cup from December 15 this year and the World Cup from January 18, 2025, both in Malaysia.