Former India captain Rohit Sharma has been conferred with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, adding another milestone to his illustrious cricketing career. President Droupadi Murmu presented the honour to Rohit during the second Civil Investiture Ceremony of the Padma Awards 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on June 23.
The recognition comes after a remarkable period in Rohit’s career, during which he guided India to the ICC T20 World Cup title in 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy triumph in 2025. Widely regarded as one of the finest white-ball batters of his generation, Rohit has left an indelible mark on international cricket with his consistency, leadership, and record-breaking performances.
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The second phase of the Padma Awards ceremony saw 65 recipients honoured across various fields. Earlier, in the first phase held on May 26, India women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur was also awarded the Padma Shri. Several other athletes from disciplines such as tennis, athletics, wrestling, field hockey, and martial arts were among the awardees.
Rohit’s numbers underline his greatness. He is among the select Indian cricketers to have played more than 500 international matches. The Mumbai-born batter has scored over 20,000 international runs and remains the leading run-scorer in T20 Internationals. In ODI cricket, he is among India’s highest run-getters and also holds the record for the highest individual score in the format with his iconic 264-run innings.
His achievements as captain have further elevated his standing in Indian cricket. Leading India to two ICC titles in consecutive years cemented his reputation as one of the country’s most successful captains.
With this honour, Rohit joins a distinguished group of Indian cricketers who have received the Padma Shri, including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and Harmanpreet Kaur.
Sports personalities honoured with Padma Awards 2026
| Sportsperson | Sport | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Vijay Amritraj | Tennis | Padma Bhushan |
| Baldev Singh | Field Hockey | Padma Shri |
| Bhagwandas Raikwar | Martial Arts | Padma Shri |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | Cricket | Padma Shri |
| K Pajanivel | Martial Arts | Padma Shri |
| Praveen Kumar | Athletics | Padma Shri |
| Rohit Sharma | Cricket | Padma Shri |
| Savita Punia | Field Hockey | Padma Shri |
| Vladimir Mestvirishvili (Posthumous) | Wrestling | Padma Shri |
