Not just another whistleblower, Snehal Bendke

Most women love to hold men on a tight leash but the fact, more often than not, is that they fail to do so! In that respect, Snehal Bendke has an envious job. She ‘controls’ unruly men (and women) with just a whistle, and of course, her smile.

Amid all the drumbeats — a trademark feature of basketball tournaments held at the Mastan YMCA courts — a charming lady, all of 26, quietly goes about her business. Sporting black trousers, a grey tee adorned with a prominent FIBA logo, black shoes and a Fox 40 tucked in between her lips, Snehal runs along the length and breadth of the court, eyes firmly on the on-court proceedings.

Suddenly there is a harsh tackle and an equally harsh sound emanates from her whistle. The ‘miscreant’ has been identified and Snehal has ‘taken him to task’. A fair judgment has been made, the game goes on and Snehal, as always, is where the action is.

Snehal is one of the only two woman international referees from India. The other happens to be former India captain Shiba Maggon. Both made the cut in 2008. Snehal has already officiated at a few Federation of International Basketball Association events and is now aspiring to do so at London Olympics.

The small-town girl started playing the game when she was only six. A phenomenally talented player, she went on to lead Maharashtra at senior nationals. Many feel she was good enough to play for India too.

It’s common practice among players to take to refereeing once they’re done playing. This trend, Snehal realised, was restricted to men in the game. One day, she gathered courage to ask Sharad Bansode — her coach, mentor, guide and an international referee — about this discrepancy.

And like every coach, Bansode encouraged his ward to do something that’s not been done before. “Why don’t you go ahead and become the first woman international referee from India?” he asked her. Snehal went ahead and pursued her dream and has done quite well for herself.

So how difficult is it to ‘control’ men? “Very easy,” she giggles. Her quiet demeanour, of course, plays its part.

Thankfully, she says, she hasn’t had to deal with serious episodes where players lose their cool and get physical with each other. “At this level, players are mature and know how to behave. The key is to take stock of the situation and ensure that sanity prevails. I’m confident I’ll handle the situation calmly.” We’re sure too.