Former India cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and received the country’s third highest civilian award, Padma Bhushan, from President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.
M.S. Dhoni walked like an Army Officer when his name was called to receive the award. Indian Territorial Army conferred him the rank of of Lieutenant Colonel to Dhoni on November 1, 2011, months after India won their second World Cup under his leadership. . The 37-year-old Dhoni is the second Indian cricketer after Kapil Dev to receive this honour.
Incidentally, Dhoni is receiving the prestigious award exactly seven years since lifting the ICC Cricket World Cup as India skipper in Mumbai on April 2, 2011. On this day seven years ago, India ended a 28-year World Cup drought by winning their second title in front of a manic home crowd at the Wankhede Stadium.
Dhoni has been the recipient of many awards, including the ICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2009 (the first player to win the award twice), the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2007 and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour in 2009.
Dhoni’s Family was also present at the ceremony
Dhoni attended the ceremony along with his wife Sakhi Dhoni and Dughter Ziva.
