Ravichandran Ashwin was awarded the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu for his contribution to Indian cricket.
Indian spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin was conferred with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his outstanding contribution to the nation in sports. Ashwin received the honour from President Droupadi Murmu during a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on April 28.
Ashwin had been named as one of the recipients of the prestigious award on the eve of Republic Day. He was present at Rashtrapati Bhavan to personally accept the Padma Shri from President Murmu on Monday, April 28. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were among several other dignitaries who attended the ceremony. In a live video streamed from the event, Ashwin was seen paying his respects before receiving the award from the President.
Ashwin, who announced his international retirement after India’s third Test match (Boxing Day Test) against Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, ended a remarkable 15-year international career in December 2024. Over 287 matches across formats, Ashwin took 765 wickets and scored six Test centuries, making him India’s second-highest wicket-taker in international cricket. He ranks among the world’s finest bowlers and is widely regarded as the best spin bowler of his generation and a modern great.
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Ashwin is the first cricketer to receive the Padma Shri since Zaheer Khan was honoured in 2020. He now joins an illustrious list of Indian cricketing legends who have received the award, including Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, and Mithali Raj.
Along with Ashwin, several other top athletes were honoured at the ceremony. Notably, two-time Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his achievements as a goalkeeper for the Indian men’s hockey team.
Although retired from international cricket, Ashwin continues to feature in competitive cricket. He is currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, representing the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
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