The Indian women's cricket team has set a benchmark with the World Cup triumph and the next goal for the side is to make winning a habit, said pacer Renuka Thakur after returning to her native village in Shimla district on Sunday.
Renuka, who was given a rousing welcome by her family members and villagers, visited the famous Hatkoti Temple near Rohru and sought blessings.
Interacting with the media persons, she said her hard work has been yielding results but the credit should also go to her mother and uncle, who spotted her talent and supported her.
Renuka has inscribed a tattoo of her father on her am, which, according to her, acts as motivation as it was the dream of her father Kehar Singh Thakur to see his kids excel in sports.
Her father passed away when she was just three and it was her mother Sunita Thakur who raised Renuka and her brother.
"There was a lot of pressure as we had lost three matches back-to-back and the last three matches were crucial but we were hopeful of winning the World Cup," she said, adding that victory in the ICC event would prompt more parents to encourage their children to pursue a career in sports.
When asked about the interaction with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Renuka said that he knew about all the players including her journey.
"I will salute your mother for contributing so much to your life even in difficult situations. As a single parent, she made many efforts to ensure your success. A mother doing so much for her daughter is a very big thing," the Prime Minister had said while addressing Renuka during his interaction with the team at his official residence last week.
Renuka also thanked the Himachal Pradesh government for announcing a cash award of Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million).
Renuka's uncle Bhupinder Singh Thakur, who spotted her innate talent and nurtured her said that her success was the result of 13-14 years of sheer hard work.
He also praised Pawan Sen -- Renuka's coach at Dharamshala cricket academy -- and trainer Veena Pandey for equipping her with the necessary skills to excel at the highest level.