RCB become first IPL team to hire a woman in support staff

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday appointed Navnita Gautam as their Sports Massage Therapist and became the first Indian Premier League team to have a woman in the support staff.

Navnita will work with Evan Speechly, the Head Physiotherapist and Basu Shanker, Strength and Conditioning Coach. She will be responsible for performing specialized techniques pertaining to the preparation, motivation, overall supervision and all individual physical ailments relating to the team.

Chairman of the RCB, Sanjeev Churiwala, is pleased over Navnita's appointment.

"I am very pleased to be a part of this moment in history and another step in the right direction. The game has come a long way, in many ways, in terms of the Women's Cricket Team and how many people are watching it, the interest was long due," Churiwala said in an official statement.

"Sport is a great enabler, but it is important to ensure that the principles of equity in participation also extends to its staffing bodies. Increasing participation and success by women in all sporting arenas have made this possible and we at RCB are very thrilled to have found great talent in Navnita," he added.