Sania Mirza, India’s tennis legend and six-time Grand Slam champion, offered young cricketer Richa Ghosh a powerful reminder about navigating online negativity. Speaking at the Future Makers Conclave (FMC) during the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025, Mirza stressed that social media reactions should never be allowed to dictate an athlete’s emotions or self-worth.
In a candid conversation moderated by Mayanti Langer, Mirza reflected on how dramatically the media landscape has evolved since her early playing days. She recalled an era when athletes were only featured in newspapers and magazines, before television tabloids and later social media amplified public scrutiny.
Mirza noted that the shift brought intrusive commentary about athletes’ personal lives, often extending far beyond their performances. Those experiences, she said, made her mentally resilient.
She added, “People who’ve never played a sport somehow feel entitled to judge those who represent the country. You can’t take that seriously.”
Offering advice to Richa, she said athletes must neither internalise praise nor criticism.
“Social media cannot make or break your day. What truly matters is what the people you love think of you—not strangers with opinions.”
Richa Ghosh: ‘Criticism shows progress’
Responding with maturity, Richa Ghosh, India’s Women’s World Cup winner, said she views online criticism as a sign of the growing popularity of women’s cricket.
She noted:
“Earlier, hardly anyone followed women’s cricket. Now that more people watch, criticism is bound to increase—and that’s a good thing.”
According to Ghosh, increased scrutiny means increased interest, engagement, and visibility for the sport. She believes this shift reflects rising respect for women athletes in India.
About the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025
This year’s 28th edition, themed “Futurise”, was organised by Karnataka’s Department of Electronics, IT & BT and concluded at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).
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