Written by Saurabh ParasharShimla | November 3, 2025 02:56 PM IST 3 min readHimachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Monday announced a cash prize of Rs 1 crore for Women's Cricket World Cup winner Renuka Singh Thakur (File Photo)Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Monday announced a cash prize of Rs 1 crore for Women’s Cricket World Cup winner Renuka Singh Thakur, who hails from the Shimla district.Sukhu is learnt ot have spoken to the cricketer over the phone for eight minutes after India’s win over South Africa in the final and assured her of a government job. During the conversation, Sukhu told Renuka from the Parsa village in the Rohru sub-division that he watched the entire match Sunday night.He said, “We have decided to give you a cash award of Rs 1 crore on behalf of the Himachal Pradesh government. Of course, you will receive many honours from various cricket associations, but this prize is being given by the state government.”Meanwhile, there was a jubilant atmosphere in Parsa village, where Renuka’s mother, Sunita Chauhan, decided to host a feast for the entire village.“It is a victory for the whole nation. I am proud of my daughter. May God bless everyone with a daughter like Renuka. I am happy — we are all happy in the village,” Sunita said.Family members, relatives, friends, and local villagers performed natti (a traditional folk dance) to celebrate India’s historic maiden title success.A cricketer shaped by mother, brotherRenuka was just three years old when her father passed away. Her journey has since been shaped by her mother Sunita and her brother Vinod. After receiving her India call-up in 2021, Renuka recalled how deeply her father loved cricket — so much so that he had named her brother after his favourite cricketer, Vinod Kambli.Story continues below this adRenuka would often accompany Vinod to the village ground and play in the boys’ teams. Her uncle Bhupinder Singh Thakur encouraged her to attend trials at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association’s Women’s Residential Academy in Dharamshala, where she worked on improving her fitness and control.Renuka quickly established herself as a key member of the Indian squad, known for her ability to swing the ball prodigiously into right-handers while also developing the skill to make it straighten past the outside edge. She was also the leading wicket-taker at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, claiming 11 wickets. In the 2025 World Cup, Renuka played six games for India and took three wickets.Saurabh Parashar is a journalist with The Indian Express, where he primarily covers developments in Himachal Pradesh. He has been associated with The Indian Express since 2017 and has earlier worked with The Times of India. He has 17 year + experience in the field of print journalism. An alumnus of Government College for Men, Sector 11, (Panjab University), Chandigarh, Saurabh holds a Diploma in Journalism from Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Chandigarh. He pursued his Master’s in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar. In addition, he completed his law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Himachal CM