World Cup star Renuka Thakur fulfils her father’s dream

Renuka Thakur’s father, a big cricket fan, named his son after Vinod Kambli. “He wanted Renuka and me to excel in cricket and kabaddi. It was his dream,” said Vinod Thakur, Renuka’s brother, a day after India won the World Cup. With Renuka playing a vital role in the triumph, the dream stands more than fulfilled today.

Just like rest of the country, Renuka’s small Parsa village, tucked away in the Rohru subdivision of district Shimla, erupted with joy the moment India sealed the victory on Sunday night. Having celebrated the whole night with the family members and the neighbours, Renuka’s mother Sunita Thakur today threw a feast for the entire village to celebrate the momentous feat of her daughter and the Indian team. “I’ve no words to describe how happy I am. She has made not just the family but the entire state and the country proud,” said the proud mother.

On the momentous occasion, the old memories came flooding back for the family. Renuka’s father Kehar Singh, who was employed with Irrigation and Public Health, died in 1999 when Renuka just three-year old. Sunita took up a Class IV job to raise her children. Renuka, meanwhile, developed a keen interest in cricket even though kabaddi and volleyball were the games preferred by the girls in the region. That did not deter young Renuka and she started playing with her male cousins and boys from the neighbourhood. “We did not stop her from playing with boys. Watching her success today, I would ask all parents to not stop their daughters from pursuing their passion,” she said.

For Renuka, the life-changing moment came when her uncle took her to the newly opened women’s cricket academy in Dharamsala by Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association. Renuka spent several years at the academy honing her skills, falling and rising. The moment she and her family had been waiting for came in 2021, when she made her India debut in a T20 series against Australia. Making a steady progress since her debut, Renuka has cemented her place in the side with her medium pace and the ability to swing the ball at a decent pace. Even though she didn’t pick as many wickets as she would have liked in the tournament, she emerged as the most economical bowler of the side, keeping the opposition always under pressure.

CM announces Rs 1 cr reward for World Cup star

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday announced a cash reward of Rs 1 crore for India’s lead pacer Renuka Thakur, who played a pivotal role in the team’s World Cup victory against South Africa.

Renuka, the opening bowler of the Indian women’s cricket team, hails from Rohru in Shimla district. Extending his congratulations over a phone call, the Chief Minister lauded her “spectacular bowling” and said she had made the entire state proud. Sukhu added that he had closely followed both the semi-final and the final matches.

“The Cricket Association will surely reward you handsomely, but as a daughter of Himachal, the state government will also honour you with Rs 1 crore,” he told her. He further assured Renuka that the government would look into her request for a suitable job on her return and invited her to meet him in person.

The CM praised Renuka for becoming a role model for young girls, saying her success would inspire many to pursue their dreams with dedication and confidence.