CM Himanta congratulates Assam's Jinti Moni Kalita on India call-up
Synopsis
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has congratulated cricketer Jinti Moni Kalita on her selection to the Indian Senior Women's Cricket Team, calling her only the second woman from Assam to earn the honour.
Key Takeaways
Jinti Moni Kalita has been selected for the Indian Senior Women's Cricket Team , earning her first senior national call-up.
She is described as only the second woman from Assam ever to represent India at the senior women's cricket level.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly congratulated Kalita via X on October 23, 2026 .
The milestone highlights the growing but still rare pipeline of women cricketers from Northeast India reaching national selection.
Sarma noted that 'the whole of Assam is cheering' for Kalita as she steps onto the national stage.
A cricketer from Assam has just broken into the Indian Senior Women's Team — and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wants the whole country to take notice. On Friday, October 23, 2026, the Chief Minister took to X to congratulate Jinti Moni Kalita on donning the Indian jersey, describing her as only the second woman from the state ever to represent India at the senior level.
Only the second — and why that number matters
In a state with deep cricketing passion and a growing grassroots base, 'only the second' is a phrase that cuts both ways. It is a mark of honour for Kalita, and an honest measure of how rare the journey from Assam's domestic circuit to a senior India cap remains for women. Sarma's post framed the milestone plainly: 'From Assam to Team India!' — six words that carry the weight of everything between a local ground and a national jersey. For women's cricket in particular, the path through state associations, Board of Control for Cricket in India zonal tournaments, and India A selections is long and unforgiving. That Kalita has cleared every gate makes her selection a genuine landmark for the northeastern cricketing ecosystem.Assam's rising profile on India's sporting map
The congratulatory post is brief, but it lands inside a broader shift. Northeast India has steadily punched above its weight in combat sports, athletics, and football — and cricket is beginning to follow. Chief ministers across the region have increasingly used national selections as moments to spotlight local talent, partly as civic pride, partly as a signal to young athletes that the state is watching and celebrating their climb. Sarma closed his message with a line that doubles as both tribute and send-off: 'The whole of Assam is cheering for you.' For Kalita, the noise from home starts now.Point of View
And for good reason — it signals to the youth that pathways exist beyond traditional cricketing hubs. The 'only the second' framing is a quiet indictment of historical underrepresentation even as it celebrates a breakthrough. For northeast India, which has long sought greater visibility in mainstream Indian sport and governance, moments like Kalita's selection carry symbolic weight beyond cricket. How the state and its cricket association build on this — through infrastructure, scouting, and funding — will determine whether Kalita remains an exception or becomes a trailblazer.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jinti Moni Kalita?
Jinti Moni Kalita is a cricketer from Assam who has been selected for the Indian Senior Women's Cricket Team, becoming only the second woman from the state to achieve this distinction.
Why is Jinti Moni Kalita's selection significant?
She is only the second woman from Assam to represent India in senior women's cricket, making her selection a rare and historic milestone for northeastern women's cricket.
What did Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma say about Jinti Moni Kalita?
CM Sarma congratulated Kalita on X, saying it is 'wonderful to see Assam's sporting talent finding its place on the national stage' and that 'the whole of Assam is cheering' for her.
Who was the first woman from Assam to play for India's senior women's cricket team?
The identity of the first woman from Assam to represent India in senior women's cricket has not been officially confirmed in publicly available records at this time.
When was Jinti Moni Kalita selected for the India women's cricket team?
Jinti Moni Kalita's selection was publicly acknowledged by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 23, 2026 , when she donned the Indian jersey.
