New Delhi: Former India captain Rohit Sharma was on Tuesday conferred with the Padma Shri, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, during the Padma Awards ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to the veteran cricketer in recognition of his exceptional contribution to Indian cricket over a career spanning nearly two decades. Rohit attended the second Civil Investiture Ceremony along with his wife, Ritika Sajdeh, after missing the first ceremony held in May.
The honour adds another milestone to an illustrious career that began with his international debut in 2007. Over the years, Rohit established himself as one of India’s finest batters and one of the country’s most successful captains across formats.
Earlier this year, after the announcement of the award, Rohit described the recognition as a special moment for both himself and his family, expressing gratitude to everyone who played a role in his cricketing journey and reaffirming his commitment to contributing to Indian cricket.
Rohit’s captaincy tenure brought major success to the national team. Under his leadership, India ended its ICC trophy drought by winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 with victory over South Africa in the final. The following year, he guided India to the Champions Trophy title, further strengthening his legacy as one of the country’s most successful white ball captains.
As a batter, Rohit’s achievements place him among the modern greats of the game. He scored more than 4,300 runs in 67 Test matches, including 12 centuries. In One Day Internationals, he amassed over 11,500 runs and 33 centuries in 282 matches, while his T20 International career produced more than 4,200 runs and five hundreds.
Although he has retired from Test cricket and T20 Internationals, Rohit remains an integral part of India’s ODI plans and is expected to play a leading role in the team’s preparations for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The ceremony also honoured former tennis star Vijay Amritraj with the Padma Bhushan, while Indian women’s hockey goalkeeper Savita Punia was among the recipients of the Padma Shri.
