Vaishnaw meets three Women’s World Cup– winning team members from Railways

New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday met three members of Women's World Cup-winning team, who are also employees of the Indian Railways, and lauded their performance in the ICC tournament.

All three players-- batter Pratika Rawal, bowler Renuka Singh Thakur, and all-rounder Sneha Rana-- representing every facet of the game are proud employees of Indian Railways, the Railway Ministry said in a statement.

Vaishnaw said he was happy to meet the Women's World Cup champions. He added that the Indian women stars shared inspiring stories from their journey and on-field experiences over the years.

According to the statement, Pratika Rawal, an opening batter from Delhi representing the Delhi Division of Northern Railway, joined the Railways in April 2023 and was recently promoted to senior clerk.

Despite sustaining an injury during the early stages of the World Cup, she remained a constant source of motivation and support for her teammates throughout the tournament, it said.

“Renuka Singh Thakur, a right-arm medium-fast bowler from Himachal Pradesh, representing the Ambala Division of Northern Railway, joined Indian Railways in December 2020 and has since been a consistent match-winner with the ball, playing a crucial role in many of India’s victories,” the statement said.

During the recent World Cup, Thakur made a significant impact by claiming three important wickets that proved vital to India’s successful campaign.

“Sneha Rana, an all-rounder from Uttarakhand, representing the Moradabad Division of Northern Railway, has been associated with Indian Railways since 2018,” the ministry said.

Known for her right-arm off-spin and dependable middle-order batting, Rana played a key role in India’s early matches of the tournament.

“Indian Railways has long been a powerhouse in nurturing India’s sporting talent, with its athletes bringing glory to the nation at the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games,” the statement said.

It added, “Railway sportspersons have earned prestigious national honours, including the Arjuna Award, Padma Shri, and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, for their outstanding achievements.” PTI JP JP KVK KVK KVK