Elvera Britto, trend-setting champion of women's hockey

Elvera Britto, a champion player in the 1960s and a no-nonsense selector and administrator who constantly worked for the upliftment of women’s hockey, passed away following age-related illness here on Tuesday morning. She was 81.

“Elvera ma'am lived and breathed hockey,” Karnataka State Hockey Association secretary K Krishnamurthy told DH while condoling her demise. “Following a distinguished career where she was chiefly instrumental in Karnataka winning eight national titles in the 1960s, she went into administration with her sole focus on enhancing the status of women’s hockey.

“During her reign as the president of the erstwhile Karnataka State Women’s Hockey Association, she was fiercely determined to get more women to play the sport. She even excelled as a national selector too. The state and the country have lost a pioneer of women’s hockey.”

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As a young girl, Elvera played multiple sports like hockey, cricket and football with her sisters and cousins in her backyard. The family enjoyed swimming too. But it was hockey that had them hooked, like many Anglo-Indian families of those days.

Elvera, Rita and Mae – famously called the Britto sisters and still popular in the Fraser Town locality where they have resided for decades – then started making waves in the state and national circuit. All three represented Karnataka, then called the Mysore State, and powered the state to eight successive national titles from 1960-67.

“It’s more than 50 years since we last played together but those memories are fresh in my mind,” said younger sibling Mae. “Travelling in third-class by trains, stitching our own uniforms before a tournament, cooking our own food at times.... it was extremely challenging to play hockey as a woman those days.

“But for us, hockey was the premier love and we chose it above everything else. There wasn’t a day in our lives when we didn’t talk hockey. Elvira was the better player among the three of us and she went to even captain the country. I’m not boasting but she was a trend-setter and always strived for the betterment of women’s hockey.”

An outspoken personality who called spade a spade, Elvera forayed into administration soon after hanging up her boots in the 1970s. The 1966 Arjuna award winner served in the national selection committee as a government nominee for 12 years and even headed the KSWHA for two terms (eight years).

“What impressed me most about Elvera was her undying love for hockey,” said former Indian hockey captain Jude Felix who lives a stone’s throw away distance from the Britto residence. “I met her on Easter Sunday (April 17) and although she was ailing, her eyes lit up when I spoke about hockey.

“While she was outspoken, she was kind and generous at the same time. She contributed immensely so that the underprivileged girls in my academy could pursue the sport. She, as well as her two sisters, never stayed out of touch with hockey. Although the game has completely changed from the time they played, they were tuned to modern times. They would speak about tactics and skills current players lack. Elvera will be missed.”

Elvera's funeral mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church in Richmond Road on Wednesday followed by burial at Hosur Road cemetery.

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