MUMBAI (India) - The continuous rise of women’s basketball in Asia is no longer a secret. Whether it’s teams or player experiencing relative success over the years, it’s become evident over the recent years that fans should start turning some of their attention to women’s basketball.

“[Being the first female Indian origin coach in the NBA] is exciting and the opportunities are certainly there for Indian Americans in the profession - Sonia Raman

Women’s talent in basketball is also surging onto the men’s court as well, after Sonia Raman was recently named the first female coach of Indian origin in the NBA. Raman was previously the head coach of the Massachusetts Institue of Technology (MIT) women’s basketball team before being announced as an assistant coach of the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA last month.

On October 15, she made her first media appearance since securing the coaching position on the “Patel & Kumar talkshow”, India’s first and only Live NBA talkshow on Youtube.

Watch Raman’s full interview here.

“My parents are both born in India. I have huge family [in India] on the extended family side, tons of aunties and uncles. Everybody is along for this ride and already asking when’s the season going to start and how do I watch Grizzlies games. We do have basketball fans in the family… they are all in. They are so excited,” Raman said of her Indian roots on the show.

Though Raman was born and raised in the US, both of her parents are originally from India. Her mother comes from the state of Nagpur, while her father hails from Chennai. The two emigrated to the US after college.

“[In terms of] My Indian heritage, growing up in the States obviously it is a little different in terms of being able to absorb that and have it around me, so most of that [my Indian heritage] comes from my parents- in terms of culture and food,” Raman said.

A lawyer by degree and the “all-time winningest coach” in MIT’s history, Raman is set to be the third coach in the NBA of Indian origin after Vin Bhavnani (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Roy Rana (Sacramento Kings). More importantly, it’s the fact that she will be the first woman of Indian origin to coach in the NBA as well.

“[Being the first female Indian origin coach in the NBA] is exciting and the opportunities are certainly there for Indian Americans in the profession. It is a matter of choosing if you want to go into that as a profession or not.”

“I am fortunate that I feel that there have been no barriers in that way. I also feel like I have been very much embraced as an Indian woman, whether as a player or as a coach. I do feel really lucky in that way.”

There have been several breakthroughs for India basketball in this year, from the rise of 16-year-old Harsimran Kaur to Princepal Singh’s future in the NBA G-League. Raman and her future as a coach in the NBA is just another success story that proves how much potential India basketball has, especially on the women’s side of the sport.

“The culture and what my parents bring to me - that is my Indian heritage,” Raman said. “Certainly the work ethic that my parents have shaped me with, as immigrants to the US. Just seeing how hard they worked my whole life and still do has been my inspiration for how I approach everything I approach.”

“[In terms of what influenced me] I think it is much more family than necessarily literally Indian heritage but I think those two things obviously go hand in hand because [my family] is my Indian heritage. I think there is a respect for others, the work ethic that I mentioned, I think those are probably what shaped me the most.”

Raman also addressed much more in the show, but left a valuable piece of advice for female ballers in India’s basketball community who might be looking to follow her path.

“Always be a student of the game. Network, access and opportunity are the resources that help accelerate your career.”

FIBA