Wed Sep 17 11:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text:
**Headline: Durga Puja Sacrifice: Siliguri Family Cheers on Daughter Richa Ghosh as She Chases World Cup Glory**
**Shiliguri:** For the Ghosh family of Shiliguri, Durga Puja brings a bittersweet mix of joy and longing. While the city gears up for the festivities, their daughter, cricketer Richa Ghosh, is far away, chasing her dreams of winning the Women’s Cricket World Cup for India.
Richa, once a vibrant presence in the local Puja pandals, is now a key player for the Indian team, and her parents, Manabendra and Swapna Ghosh, couldn’t be prouder. While they miss her presence during the festival, they understand the importance of her commitment to the nation.
“The country comes first, then everything else,” says Manabendra Ghosh, Richa’s father, who also acted as her first coach. “In the beginning, we used to feel sad. But now, we have learned to understand. Now there is the World Cup, we are all praying to Maa Durga so that India wins the World Cup this time and our daughter Richa has a contribution there. That’s all that would make us happy.”
Swapna Ghosh, Richa’s mother, echoes the sentiment. “I have only one prayer to the goddess, that she progresses even further, is even more successful. May our country win many trophies through her. So, even if we are sad during Puja, we adjust.”
Even as a child, Richa was dedicated to her sport. She would only take short breaks to visit Puja pandals with her family and friends. Since joining the Indian team, however, such opportunities have become rare.
As India prepares for the Women’s One Day World Cup, the Ghosh family, like the rest of the nation, is fervently hoping for success. They pray that Richa will play a pivotal role in bringing the trophy home. Their sacrifice, and Richa’s dedication, underscores the commitment it takes to reach the highest levels of sporting achievement. The entire nation stands behind the ‘eleven women’ to become the best in the world. Richa is one of them. Richa is now standing on the verge of fulfilling her dream after overcoming many chapters of self-sacrifice. The whole family has that dream fulfilling prayer for the daughter from the mother.
First Piper 