Battling poverty and taunts, Jamtara Lakshmi and Purnima broke into the Jharkhand U-19 team

By Debashish Bharati

Jamtara may be known for its association with cyber crime, but two young women cricketers from Karmatar are giving the neighborhood a different identity. Lakshmi Kumari and Purnima Kumari made it to the Jharkhand Under-19 women’s cricket team despite coming from families with limited means. Both will represent Jharkhand in the 2026-27 BCCI Under-19 State Championship T20 season.

Lakshmi from Dumaria village in Karmatar hails from a humble family. Her father works as a mechanic in a breakfast shop and earns around Rs 12,000 to 13,000 per month. The family has four daughters and a son.

Money was always tight, but her family never stopped Lakshmi from playing cricket. Her mother Kiran Devi said that Lakshmi often leaves for training after eating rice and dal. She exercised in the morning before going to school. Medals and certificates stored in their small home now reflect the work she has done over the years.

Purnima lives in Shanti Nagar in Karmatar. Her father runs a small chicken business in the local market and has four children to support. He too stood behind his daughter’s decision to pursue cricket.

Purnima faced comments from people in the neighborhood when she left the house wearing trousers and a shirt to play cricket. Some would mock the family and say, “They turned a girl into a boy.”

Her family did not pay much attention to the comments and Purnima continued her training. Her hard work has now earned her a place in the Jharkhand under-19 team.

The Vidyasagar Sports Academy was an important part of the journey of both the players. The coach and founder of Niwas Mandal Academy has been providing free cricket training to girls for almost eight years now. Despite the limited support, the academy brought up players from financially weaker families.

The academy grounds, about six kilometers from Karmatar, became the place where Lakshmi and Purnima trained regularly. Their coach describes both players as hardworking and disciplined.

Their selection also gave Lakshmi and Purnima a bigger target. Both want to play for India one day and wear the blue jersey of the Indian women’s cricket team.

Their journey is also a story of families who supported their daughters despite financial difficulties and social pressure. For Lakshmi and Purnima, the Jharkhand Under-19 team is another step towards the dream they have been chasing for years.

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