New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) Former India captain Rohit Sharma was on Tuesday conferred the Padma Shri, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, during the Padma Awards ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to the veteran cricketer in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cricket.

Rohit attended the second Civil Investiture Ceremony along with his wife Ritika Sajdeh after missing the first ceremony held in May.

Former Indian tennis player Vijay Amritraj received the Padma Bhushan, while Indian women’s hockey team goalkeeper Savita Punia was also among the Padma Shri awardees.

The honour marks another significant achievement in a career that has spanned nearly two decades at the highest level. Since making his international debut in 2007, Rohit has established himself as one of India’s most successful batters and captains, producing memorable performances across all formats of the game.

The Indian cricket team posted the video of Rohit receiving the award and wrote,”A highly prestigious honour for a great of the game. President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmuji @presidentofindia confers former #TeamIndia captain Rohit Sharma @rohitsharma45 with the Padma Shri award.”

When his Padma Shri was announced earlier this year, Rohit described the recognition as a special moment for both himself and his family.

“Receiving the Padma Shri is a very special moment for me and my family. I thank the Government of India for this honour. I am also grateful to all those people who have played an important role in my career. My effort to win matches and trophies for my country will always continue. Thank you. Jai Hind,” he had said in a video released by Doordarshan on X in February.

Rohit’s leadership tenure brought considerable success to Indian cricket. Under his captaincy, India ended their ICC trophy drought by winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 after defeating South Africa in the final. The following year, he guided the team to another major title as India lifted the Champions Trophy, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s most successful white-ball captains.

As a batter, Rohit’s numbers reflect his consistency and longevity. In Test cricket, he scored more than 4,300 runs in 67 matches, including 12 centuries. His ODI career has yielded over 11,500 runs and 33 hundreds in 282 appearances, while in T20 Internationals he accumulated more than 4,200 runs and five centuries, placing him among the format’s all-time greats.

Although Rohit has stepped away from Test cricket and T20 Internationals, he continues to represent India in the 50-over format. The veteran opener remains a key figure in the ODI setup and has his sights set on leading India’s charge towards the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

–IANS

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