The Padma Awards are among India’s most prestigious civilian honors, with the Padma Bhushan ranking as the third highest, following the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan. The Padma Shri follows after that. Over the years, several distinguished Indian cricketers have been recognized with these prestigious awards. Below is a list of cricketers who have been honored with the Padma Awards.

1. Lala Amarnath (1991)

Lala Amarnath represented India from 1933 to 1955. His career, which lasted only 24 Test matches, was significantly impacted by World War II, which halted international cricket from 1939 to 1945—some of his prime playing years. Following the partition of India, his family had to relocate. Interestingly, his sons, Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath, also pursued cricket, albeit for different teams.

2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2018)

MS Dhoni was honored with the Padma Bhushan late in his cricketing career, despite having already received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award a decade earlier. His life story became widely known through the biopic MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, in which Sushant Singh Rajput portrayed him. Even after retiring from international cricket, he continues to play in the IPL and remains one of India’s most beloved cricketers, admired for his leadership and humility.

3. Rahul Dravid (2013)

Nicknamed The Wall, Rahul Dravid is regarded as one of India’s greatest Test batsmen. Apart from the Padma Bhushan, he has also received the Padma Shri. Across his international career, he scored over 24,000 runs, boasting an impressive Test batting average of 52.31. One of the most debated moments of his captaincy was when he declared the innings while Sachin Tendulkar was approaching a double century.

4. Kapil Dev (1991)

After being awarded the Padma Shri in 1982, Kapil Dev captained India’s historic 1983 World Cup-winning team. His journey to winning the World Cup was later depicted in the film 83. Apart from cricket, he has authored four books, including one on Sikhism, and post-retirement, he pursued golf. Born in Chandigarh, he is one of India’s most celebrated sports personalities.

5. D.B. Deodhar (1991)

Although he never played international cricket, D.B. Deodhar made significant contributions as an administrator. He held key positions such as BCCI vice president and president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, and also played a crucial role in team selections. Notably, he became the first Indian cricketer to live beyond 100 years.

6. Sunil Gavaskar (1980)

Sunil Gavaskar, the first batsman to surpass 10,000 Test runs, received the Padma Bhushan in 1980 in recognition of his remarkable international career. He played a crucial role in shaping Indian cricket and led the team to many victories.

7. Chandu Borde (2002)

Chandu Borde represented India between 1958 and 1969, scoring at an average of 35.59 in 55 Test matches. He later served as chairman of the national selection committee twice. His autobiography is titled Panther’s Paces. Domestically, he played for Bombay and Baroda.

8. Virat Kohli (2017)

Virat Kohli received the Padma Shri in 2017 after a stellar year in which he dominated across all formats. In 2016, he became the first batsman to score double centuries in four consecutive Test series. As captain, he led India to multiple home-series victories and established himself as one of the most prolific run-scorers in cricket history.

9. Vinoo Mankad (1973)

Mulvantrai Himmatlal Mankad, widely known as Vinoo Mankad, was one of India’s finest all-rounders. For his contributions to Indian cricket, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 1973. Until 1979, he remained the only Indian cricketer to receive this distinction.

10. Gautam Gambhir (2019)

Gautam Gambhir retired from all forms of cricket in December 2018. Throughout his career, he played 58 Tests, 147 ODIs, and 37 T20Is for India. He played a pivotal role in India’s victories in the 2007 ICC World T20 and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, being the top scorer in both finals. In 2019, he was honored with the Padma Shri by President Ram Nath Kovind.