It was not long ago in Hyderabad that Bhagya Reddy, a single mother, juggled multiple jobs and household responsibilities while nurturing her daughter Arundhati Reddy’s dream of playing cricket for India.

Her days began before sunrise — preparing meals, managing work, and finding time to watch her daughter practise in the lanes of their neighbourhood where Arundhati often played with boys. The whispers of doubt from neighbours never stopped, but Bhagya chose to ignore them.

Years later, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Indian women’s cricket team after their historic World Cup win, his words struck a deep chord. For Bhagya, those words were personal.

“He motivates not just athletes, but families like ours,” she said in an interview with TNIE.

For her mother, the victory was more than a sporting milestone. It was the culmination of years of sacrifice and faith, and relentless belief. Arundhati, who could not play in the tournament due to injury, still remained at the heart of the team.

As fireworks lit up skies across the nation, the celebration felt especially intimate in one corner of Hyderabad. For Bhagya Reddy, this triumph was not just India’s win — it was a victory for every parent who dared to believe in their daughter’s dreams.

(By Khyati Shah of The New Indian Express)