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Rajeshwari Gayakwad Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1 June 1991

Age32 Years

BirthplaceBijapur, Karnataka

ProfessionCricketer (Bowler)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyMother: Savitha Gayakwad; Father: Shivanand Gayakwad (deceased); Siblings: Kashinath, Vishwanath, Rameshwari, Bhuvaneshwari

Rajeshwari Gayakwad Biography

Left-arm orthodox spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad rose from Bijapur to the Indian women's cricket team, delivering match-winning performances at major ICC and

Early life and background

Rajeshwari Shivanand Gayakwad was born on 1 June 1991 in Bijapur, Karnataka. She grew up in a family with strong musical roots: her father taught music and her siblings trained in various disciplines, while sports were encouraged alongside music. As a child she played multiple sports, including javelin, discus, kho-kho and volleyball, and she spent much of her free time playing gully cricket with her father and brothers.

At 16 Rajeshwari attended a free training camp for girls organized in Bijapur and was selected for coaching at the Bijapur Women’s Cricket Club. Coaches there and later at the state level guided her development. Initially tried as a fast bowler, she converted to left-arm spin on the advice of a coach who felt her physical build was better suited to spin bowling. Within two months of formal training she secured selection to the Karnataka state team.

Her family faced financial difficulties early in her career. When she first joined the state side she could not afford new cricket whites and had to make do with second-hand trousers and a school shirt. Her father, Shivanand Gayakwad, who worked as a primary school teacher, was an early supporter of her sporting ambitions; he died in May 2014. After his death Rajeshwari became an important financial support for her family and later joined Indian Railways in 2015, which provided employment and a place to live as she continued her cricketing career.

Career

Rajeshwari is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler who bats right-handed. She made her international debut in the ODI format on 19 January 2014 against Sri Lanka, and her T20 debut followed shortly on 25 January 2014, also versus Sri Lanka. She made her Test debut on 16 November 2014 against South Africa.

At domestic level she began with Karnataka (2008/09–2014/15) before moving to Railways in 2015/16. In franchise and invitational tournaments she has represented Supernovas, Trailblazers and, in 2023, UP Warriorz in the inaugural Women’s Premier League. She has worn the jersey number 1 for India Women and for UP Warriorz.

Rajeshwari’s international profile rose sharply during the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. In the match against New Zealand she replaced another spinner in the XI and produced a standout performance, taking a five-wicket haul. Her figures of 5 for 15 in that game became one of India’s best bowling performances at a Women’s World Cup.

She has also been part of India’s squads for major global tournaments, including the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games she was a member of the Indian team that won the silver medal. In regional tournaments she was among the leading wicket-takers in the 2022 Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup as India lifted the trophy.

In domestic and challenger competitions she has been part of successful squads: she played for Supernovas in the inaugural Women’s T20 Challenge in 2018 and for Trailblazers during winning and competitive seasons in subsequent years. She was named to India D’s squad for the 2021–22 Senior Women’s Challenger Trophy, finishing among the top wicket-takers, and she contributed to Railways’ BCCI Women’s T-20 title in 2021–22. She was also in the winning India D side in the 2022–23 Women’s Senior T20 Challenger Trophy.

Public profile

Rajeshwari’s rise drew attention both for her performances and for her personal story of overcoming financial hardship. Following her World Cup performances she received recognition from the Karnataka State Cricket Association. A public offer of a car after the World Cup was turned down; she indicated her priority was securing a home for her family.

She has stated on record that former cricketer Zaheer Khan was an early idol and has also cited Ravindra Jadeja as an inspiration. In November 2022 she received an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from Sir Padampat Singhania University.

Her journey has not been without controversy. A 2022 incident at a supermarket in Vijayapura that was captured on CCTV drew media attention; no formal police complaints were reported following the episode.

Latest updates

In February 2023 Rajeshwari was signed by the UP Warriorz for the first Women’s Premier League season. That year she continued to represent Railways domestically and remained a regular presence in India’s limited-overs squads. Her playing role remains that of a left-arm spinner who can provide breakthroughs and contain runs in the middle overs.

Personal notes

Rajeshwari holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, follows Hinduism, and is unmarried. Her family includes her mother Savitha Gayakwad and siblings active in sports and music: brother Kashinath (a professional tabla player), brother Vishwanath (a badminton and volleyball player), and sisters Rameshwari (a cricketer for Karnataka) and Bhuvaneshwari (a hockey player who has represented Karnataka). She has a tattoo on her left arm.
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Recent Work

UP Warriorz (Women’s Premier League)

Signed by UP Warriorz for the inaugural 2023 WPL season; represented the franchise wearing jersey number 1.

2023
India squad — 2022 Commonwealth Games

Member of the Indian team that won the silver medal in the cricket tournament.

2022
India squad — 2022 Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup

One of the tournament’s leading wicket-takers as India won the title.

2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Five-wicket haul (5/15) against New Zealand in the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup
  2. Part of India’s silver-medal squad at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
  3. Key performer as India won the 2022 Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup
  4. Represented Supernovas and Trailblazers in Women’s T20 Challenge; part of Trailblazers’ winning campaign
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Rajeshwari Gayakwad born?

1 June 1991

What is Rajeshwari Gayakwad known for?

Cricketer (Bowler)

What is Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s marital status?

Unmarried