Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis felicitated India’s World Cup-winning trio Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Radha Yadav at his residence in Mumbai, announcing a special cash reward to honour their historic contribution to Indian women’s cricket. (Image Credit: X/@CMOMaharashtra)
The Maharashtra government has felicitated three of India's World Cup-winning heroes, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Radha Yadav, after their stellar performances in the 2025 Women's World Cup.
The trio, who played a pivotal role in India's maiden world title triumph, were felicitated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a special ceremony held at his official residence 'Varsha' in Mumbai.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Fadnavis described the cricketers as the “pride of Maharashtra” and said their victory had brought immense joy and pride for the state.
"Their victory is not just about cricket-it's a symbol of determination and teamwork, the power of women to shine globally," he said. "The century by Jemimah in the semifinals was a turning point, and the contributions of Smriti and Radha in pivotal moments showed what this team was all about."
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was also present and likened the team’s triumph in the World Cup to India’s 1983 victory under Kapil Dev. “These women have done for their generation what Kapil Dev’s team did for theirs,” he said.
For their contribution, the Maharashtra Government had announced a cash prize of ₹2.25 crore each for Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Radha Yadav.
The list of rewards did not stop with the players as head coach Amol Muzumdar received ₹22.5 lakh and each member of the support staff was awarded ₹11 lakh.
The felicitation also saw the presence of several key figures from the cricket fraternity, which included Diana Edulji, Avishkar Salvi, and other support team members who were instrumental in India's successful campaign.
Speaking on the occasion, Smriti Mandhana said, "It's special to be felicitated here in Mumbai. Maharashtra has always supported us this victory belongs to everyone behind the scenes."
Jemimah Rodrigues further added, "The smile on my parents' face means more than any medal or trophy. Our dream was to make India proud, and this recognition means a lot."
It was an emotional moment for Radha Yadav, "This is the first time I've been felicitated like this. It makes me proud and thankful to everyone who supported me."
