On Wednesday, November 5, 2013, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the winning Indian women team in cricket, in his house in Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi. It was held following the historic Women world cup 2025 win of India when this was the first time India secured the title in the history of the tournament. PM Modi complimented the participants on the decision making and how they won their matches after losing three games in a row at the beginning of the campaign.
At the meeting, a team jersey was also handed to the Prime Minister with the signatures of all the players, with NAMO 1 printed at the back of the sweater. Mithun Manhas, President of BCCI also attended the ceremony. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur added that she had been to the Prime Minister in 2017 following the defeat to England in the final but this time it was different since they encountered him as world champions.
Smriti Mandhana, who finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament with 434 runs, thanked the Prime Minister for his constant encouragement. She said his support had inspired many young girls across India to take up sports and chase their dreams. Mandhana also expressed pride in the growing success of Indian women athletes in various fields.
All-rounder Deepti Sharma, who earned the Player of the Tournament award, said meeting the Prime Minister again was a memorable experience. She recalled that his words in 2017 had motivated the team to keep working hard and never give up. Modi also acknowledged her “Jai Shri Ram” post and noticed her tattoo of Lord Hanuman, praising her for her faith and focus.
In the course of the conversation, Harmanpreet Kaur inquired to PM Modi on how he finds it easy to remain calm and composed during stressful moments. Modi replied that life in the moment is what helps him to remain balanced. He has also complemented the boundary catch of 2021 by Harleen Deol as an example of increasing excellence by Indian women in the field of cricket.
PM Modi Lauds Harmanpreet and Team, Urges Players to Inspire Youth Through Sports
The Prime Minister admired Harmanpreet when she retained the ball of a match at the end of the final as a memorable gesture. He further praised Amanjot Kaur who made an important catch to brush off South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt in the title match. Modi argued that when a fielder is playing, he or she always looks at the ball, however, when a hero wins the game, they should also remember to look at the trophy once they are home.
Young pacifist Kranti Gaud stated that her brother admired the Prime Minister and Modi replied to this by warmly inviting them to have an encounter with him. He urged the players not to stop encouraging the young generation by promoting the Fit India campaign before concluding. He encouraged them to go to schools and encourage children and particularly girls to embrace fitness and sports as a core aspect of their lives.
