The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has today (September 20) nominated Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the prestigious Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award.
The 36-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman was chosen by the Indian cricket board, according to "Press Trust of India" news agency report on Wednesday.
The last date for Padma Awards 2018 nominations was September 15. The nominations and recommendations (online only, on Padma awards website) began on May 1, 2017. The awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day (January 26).
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"Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been nominated by the BCCI for the Padma Bhushan award. It was a unanimous decision by the members. He has been one of the greatest names in contemporary cricket and the most appropriate choice of the Indian cricket board," BCCI's acting president CK Khanna told PTI.
"He is one of our greatest ODI cricketer with nearly 10,000 runs. Not many players have played 90 Test matches. There is no one better than him, who could have been nominated," Khanna added.
Dhoni is currently in Kolkata preparing for the second One Day International against Australia tomorrow (September 21). He hit a half century in the opening ODI in Chennai on Sunday (September 17) as India won the rain-hit contest to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Dhoni made his international debut in 2004 and is the only captain in history to have won all three ICC trophies (World T20 2007, World Cup 2011 and Champions Trophy 2013).
So far, he has played 90 Tests, 302 ODIs and 78 T20Is for India. He retired from Test cricket in 2014 but continues to play the limited overs format. On Sunday, he completed 100 half centuries in international cricket.
If Dhoni gets the award, he will be the 11th cricketer to be honoured with Padma Bhushan. The other recipients are - CK Nayudu (1956), Maharaj Vijaya Ananda (Also known as Maharajkumar of Vizianagram or Vizzy) (1958), Vinoo Mankad (1973), Sunil Gavaskar (1980), Raja Bhalendra Singh (1983), Kapil Dev (1991), Lala Amarnath (1991), Prof. DB Deodhar (1991), Chandu Borde (2002) and Rahul Dravid (2013).
Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, is announced every year on the occasion of Republic Day except for brief interruption(s) during the years 1978 and 1979 and 1993 to 1997.
The award is given in three categories, namely,
- Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service;
- Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order; and
- Padma Shri for distinguished service.
