Copyright news18
Hailing from the picturesque valleys of Himachal Pradesh, Renuka Singh Thakur, a fast bowler for the Indian women’s cricket team, has brought immense pride to the nation. Recently, after winning the World Cup, the Indian women’s cricket team met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is not just a story of a player but a tale of struggle, hope, and success, where a girl from a simple village fulfilled her father’s dream and made the entire country proud. At the age of 3, Renuka lost her father and she was raised by her mother. PM Modi praised Renuka’s mother, Sunita Thakur, saying, “But to your mother, I will respectfully offer my regards. How difficult her life must have been — she made such a big contribution for your progress. Even being a single parent, she worked so hard to build your life. And when a mother works this much and does so much for her daughter, that itself is a very big thing. Please convey my respects to her from my side.” Born on January 2, 1996, in Parsa village, Rohru subdivision, Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh, Renuka’s childhood was filled with hardships. Her father, Kehar Singh Thakur, passed away when she was just three years old. He worked in the Irrigation and Public Health Department and was a huge cricket enthusiast. After his death, the entire responsibility of the family fell on her mother, Sunita Thakur. She not only managed the household but also made every effort to advance Renuka and her brother, Vinod Thakur. Renuka completed her primary education at the village government school (GSS School, Dharamshala). As a child, she often played cricket with her brother and other village boys. Her bowling skills impressed the village PT teacher, Renuka’s uncle, Bhupendra Thakur, so much that he suggested sending her to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Academy in Dharamshala. Her mother heeded her brother-in-law’s advice and enrolled her at the HPCA in 2009. This step changed the course of Renuka’s life. Renuka completed her middle and senior secondary education at JAV Senior Secondary School, Kangra. She then graduated from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, and Khalsa College, Amritsar. During this time, Renuka decided to seriously pursue cricket as a career. The training and academic discipline of the HPCA honed her skills and steered her towards becoming a professional fast bowler. Renuka made her T20I debut against Australia in October 2021 and her ODI debut against New Zealand in February 2022. She subsequently became the leading wicket-taker at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and played a key role in India’s silver medal win. She was also named the ICC’s Emerging Woman Cricketer of the Year 2022. In the recent World Cup, Renuka played 5 out of 7 matches and took 3 wickets.
