Renuka returns home to hero’s welcome after World Cup glory

Renuka Thakur, a key member of the World Cup winning women cricket team, returned to a rousing welcome at Rohru, her hometown, in Shimla district. Amidst the beats of the traditional musical instruments, a large number of people, including young and old, turned out to welcome the shining star of the Indian women cricket team.

With her mother Sunita Thakur by her side, Renuka seemed quite touched by the welcome. “I think our World Cup triumph is going to open up a lot of opportunities for the girls. It’s going to bring a lot of change, especially in the rural areas where people don’t give enough freedom to their daughters. The parents, I hope, would encourage their daughters to pursue sport seriously if they want to,” said the heavily-garlanded Renuka. Once she paid obeisance at the temple of a local deity in Hatkoti, she went from one function to another organised to honour her and her family, including the one hosted by the local administration. The celebration reached the crescendo when she reached her village. People lifted her on their shoulders as they danced their way to her home. “It feels really good to see how happy people are for me,” she said.

Renuka shared that the meeting with PM Modi, in which he praised Renuka’s mother, was a special moment. “He knew about my story and the struggle of my mother, which made me really happy. In fact, he knew the story of all the girls,” said Renuka. When her father passed away when she was just three-year old, her mother raised her and supported her to become a cricketer with a low-paying Class IV job.

“The struggle and effort of my mother is behind my success,” said Renuka. With cricket nearly out of bounds for girls in the region, Renuka started off by playing with the neighbourhood boys. When her uncle noticed she was quite good, she was sent to a woman cricket academy in Dharamsala, where she honed her skills and made the India debut in 2021. Renuka further expressed happiness over the cash award of Rs 1 crore announced by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. “Himachal was the first state to announce a cash award after we won the World Cup. When we came to know about it, all my teammates congratulated me,” she said. Even in the midst of this heady moment, Renuka was aware that the expectations from her and the Indian women team will soar higher. “We have set the benchmark now, and we will have to keep performing at top level,” she said.

‘Everything I am, I owe to my mother’

“My mother is my world,” said Renuka Thakur, her voice trembling with emotion. “After my father passed away when I was only three, she became my strength. On a modest Class IV job, she carried our dreams on her shoulders, fighting every hardship so I could play cricket. Whatever I’ve achieved belongs to her — every wicket, every cheer.”