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Jemimah Rodrigues' Gymkhana Membership Revoked Over Father's Suspicious Religious Acts

Akshita Patel

Jemimah Rodrigues Khar Gymkhana membership cancelled (@JemiRodrigues/X.com)Jemimah Rodrigues Khar Gymkhana membership cancelled (@JemiRodrigues/X.com)

Jemimah Rodrigues' honorary membership at Khar Gymkhana, one of Mumbai's oldest clubs, was cancelled due to her father's religious activities held within the club's premises. Ivan Rodrigues, Jemimah's father and a cricket coach, reportedly organised 35 events linked to an organisation called Brother Manuel Ministries and it allegedly involved religious events aimed at conversion.

Jemimah Rodrigues, who made her India debut at a relatively young age, witnessed success in a short time. She recently featured in the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup where India crashed out of the group stages due to two big losses against New Zealand and Australia.

Having said that, back in 2023, Jemimah Rodrigues was honoured with Khar Gymkhana membership to become the first and only female cricketer to receive the honour.

Jemimah's father accused of religious conversion

However, after just a year, the Gymkhana decided to revoke her membership in a resolution passed during the recent AGM meeting held in Mumbai. According to Indian Express, Ivan Rodrigues, Jemimah's father and a cricket coach, allegedly organised multiple religious events at the club, leading to objections from members. 

The Gymkhana officials were compelled to take action after it was discovered that Ivan, affiliated with Brother Manuel Ministries, held 35 events in the club's presidential hall over 18 months. The events were reportedly centred on religious conversions, which violated the club's bylaws that strictly prohibit religious activities. 

Notably, former Khar Gymkhana president Nitin Gadekar was informed by a staff member about the gatherings. Upon investigating, he and other members witnessed the event, which further solidified their decision to protest and revoke Jemimah's membership. 

“Me, Malhotra and a few other members went to see it. We saw the room was dark, trance music was playing, and a lady was saying, ‘He is coming to save us’. I was surprised how Gymkhana can allow this in the first place. We protested and it was decided to cancel her membership,” Gadekar said.

Mithali Raj backs Jemimah to take over T20 captaincy

The Indian women's cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, experienced another disappointment in the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup, failing to make it to the semi-finals. With Kaur's future as captain uncertain, Mithali Raj suggested that if the selectors are considering a change in leadership, now is the time to act. She voiced her support for Jemimah Rodrigues as a long-term option, citing her energy, leadership qualities, and positive impact on the team.