Padma Shri is India’s fourth-highest civilian honor. In world of cricket, it is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional skill and brought international glory to the nation.
On the eve of Republic Day 2026, Government of India added two legendary names to this prestigious list: Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur.
Here is the complete, chronological list of cricketers who have been conferred with Padma Shri.
Full List of Cricketers Awarded Padma Shri (1960-2026)
1960: Vijay Hazare – Captained India to its first-ever Test victory.
1960: Jasu Patel – Became a household name for his 9/69 against Australia.
1962: Nari Contractor – Famous for his courage and comeback after a severe head injury.
1962: Polly Umrigar – A dominant force and the first Indian to score a Test double ton.
1963: Syed Mushtaq Ali – The first Indian to score a Test century on foreign soil.
1964: M.J. Gopalan – A legendary dual-sport athlete (Cricket and Hockey).
1965: D.B. Deodhar – Known as the “Grand Old Man” of Indian cricket.
1967: Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi – India’s youngest Test captain.
1969: Chandu Borde – A versatile all-rounder and long-serving selector.
1970: Bishan Singh Bedi – A premier left-arm spinner and part of the “Spin Quartet.”
1970: E.A.S. Prasanna – A master of off-spin flight and deception.
1971: Gundappa Vishwanath – Famed for his wristy elegance and match-winning knocks.
1972: Ajit Wadekar – Led India to historic series wins in the West Indies and England.
1972: B.S. Chandrasekhar – A prolific leg-spinner who overcame polio to take 240+ wickets.
1973: Farokh Engineer – A charismatic and aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman.
1975: Pankaj Roy – Set a long-standing world record for the highest opening partnership.
1982: Kapil Dev – The legendary all-rounder who led India to the 1983 World Cup title.
1982: Syed Kirmani – The finest wicketkeeper of his era and 1983 World Cup winner.
1984: Chuni Goswami – Celebrated for his excellence in both International Football and Cricket.
1987: Dilip Vengsarkar – The “Lord of Lord’s,” with three centuries at the historic ground.
1988: Mohammad Azharuddin – Famous for starting his career with three consecutive Test tons.
1999: Sachin Tendulkar – The “God of Cricket” and first player to score 100 international centuries.
2002: Diana Edulji – A foundational figure and pioneer of Indian women’s cricket.
2003: S. Venkataraghavan – Distinguished captain, spinner, and world-class umpire.
2004: Rahul Dravid – Known as “The Wall” for his technical mastery and resilience.
2004: Sourav Ganguly – The captain who instilled a fierce, winning mindset in the Indian team.
2005: Anil Kumble – India’s leading wicket-taker and only the second man to take 10 wickets in a Test innings.
2009: MS Dhoni – Only captain to win the T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup, and Champions Trophy.
2009: Harbhajan Singh – A prolific off-spinner and India’s first Test hat-trick hero.
2010: Virender Sehwag – The only Indian to smash two Test triple centuries.
2011: VVS Laxman – Immortalized for his 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens.
2012: Jhulan Goswami – The leading wicket-taker in the history of Women’s ODIs.
2014: Yuvraj Singh – The 2011 World Cup hero who famously hit six sixes in an over.
2014: Anjum Chopra – A prolific batter and voice of women’s cricket in India.
2015: Mithali Raj – The highest run-scorer in international women’s cricket.
2017: Virat Kohli – Modern legend with the most ODI centuries in history.
2019: Gautam Gambhir – Match-winner in the finals of both the 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cups.
2020: Zaheer Khan – The spearhead of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning pace attack.
2023: Gurcharan Singh – Distinguished coach who shaped the careers of numerous international stars.
2025: Ravichandran Ashwin – One of the greatest match-winners in Test history.
2026: Rohit Sharma – Led India to the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy titles.
2026: Harmanpreet Kaur – The historic captain who led India to the 2025 Women’s World Cup trophy.
Key Statistics
Total Recipients: 39
Women Recipients: 5 (Diana Edulji, Jhulan Goswami, Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Anjum Chopra – Note: Anjum Chopra received it in 2014 but is often listed in general sports lists).
First Recipient: Vijay Hazare (1960).
