‘A Feast for the Entire Village’: Renuka’s Mother Celebrates Her Daughter’s World Cup Glory

As a child growing up in a remote Himachali village with no cricketing infrastructure or culture, little Renuka honed her skills playing with boys in the narrow lanes.

“I wish every parent had a daughter like Renuka,” said a beaming Sunita Thakur, mother of Indian women’s cricket team pacer Renuka Thakur. “She has not only made our family proud but brought glory to the entire nation.”

After celebrating India’s World Cup triumph with her family and neighbours last night, Sunita is hosting a feast for the whole village today.

“The entire family and neighbourhood watched India lift the historic World Cup. Today, we’ll celebrate with a grand feast for everyone in the village. There will be nati (folk dance) and DJ music to mark this big moment,” she said with pride.

Renuka, who hails from the small village of Parsa in Rohru subdivision of Shimla district, has come a long way on her journey to becoming a World Cup winner.

Her brother, Vinod Thakur, shared, “Our father was a huge sports enthusiast. He wanted both of us to excel in cricket and kabaddi. He was such a big fan that he even named me after Vinod Kambli.”

Renuka went on to fulfill her late father’s dream by becoming a regular member of the Indian women’s cricket team.

But her journey wasn’t easy. With no facilities or training grounds in her village, she began by playing cricket with local boys. Her breakthrough came when she was selected for the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association’s women’s academy in Dharamshala. There, she refined her skills and made her India debut in 2021 — a moment that changed everything.