Indian cricket captains Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur were formally honored with the Padma Shri at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. The duo are the latest additions to the prestigious list of athletes receiving India’s fourth-highest civilian distinction.
While their names were announced on the eve of Republic Day earlier this year, the official investiture ceremony took place on June 23.
With their induction, the total number of Indian cricketers to have received the Padma Shri has risen to 17. They now join an elite gallery of legends, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Mithali Raj, and Virat Kohli.
Rohit Sharma’s recognition comes following a stellar career defined by his dominance as a batter and his leadership in guiding India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Harmanpreet Kaur makes history as the first Indian women’s captain to lift an ICC trophy, having led the team to the Women’s ODI World Cup title in 2025.
The Padma Shri is awarded by the Government of India to recognize distinguished contributions in diverse fields, including science, art, literature, public affairs, and sports.
Complete List of Indian Cricketers Awarded the Padma Shri
Sunil Gavaskar (1980)
Kapil Dev (1982)
Sachin Tendulkar (1999)
Rahul Dravid (2004)
Sourav Ganguly (2004)
Anil Kumble (2005)
MS Dhoni (2009)
Harbhajan Singh (2009)
Virender Sehwag (2010)
VVS Laxman (2011)
Jhulan Goswami (2012)
Yuvraj Singh (2014)
Mithali Raj (2015)
Virat Kohli (2017)
Gautam Gambhir (2019)
Zaheer Khan (2020)
Gurcharan Singh (2023)
R Ashwin (2025)
Rohit Sharma (2026)
Harmanpreet Kaur (2026)
Among the most storied recipients is Sachin Tendulkar, who received the award in 1999 before later being elevated to the Bharat Ratna. MS Dhoni was honored following the landmark T20 World Cup win in 2007 and the 2011 ODI World Cup triumph, while Virat Kohli was recognized after establishing himself as a global batting icon.
Harmanpreet’s award further highlights the rising prominence of women’s cricket, joining fellow pioneers Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj in the honor roll. The inclusion of Rohit and Harmanpreet underscores the continued excellence and growth of Indian cricket across generations.
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