MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will hold its Annual Awards function in Hyderabad on January 23 in Hyderabad, ahead of the first Test between India and England, which will start in the Charminar City from January 25.
Both the teams will attend the function. This will be the BCCI's first Annual Awards function in four years, with covid causing the long break. With a backlog of quite a few years, the list of awardees will surely be long.
The last BCCI Annual awards function – for the 2018-19 season, was held on January 13, 2020 in Mumbai, just two months before covid-19 struck. On that occasion, ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah had won the 'Polly Umrigar Award' for the Best International Cricketer, while leg-spinner Poonam Yadav had won the awards in the women's category.
The CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement awards were given to former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth in the men's section and former India captain Anjum Chopra in the women's section.
1/10:Mohammed Shami, Sheetal Devi draw rousing applause at National Sports Awards ceremony
PTI
2/10:Rapturous applause for Shami and Sheetal
<p>India's best-performing athletes were on Tuesday conferred with the national sports awards by President Droupadi Murmu in a regal ceremony where cricketer Mohammed Shami and para archer Sheetal Devi walked in to a rapturous applause at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.<br /></p>PTI
3/10:Khel Ratna for shuttlers Satwik and Chirag
<p>Shuttlers Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were chosen for the coveted Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award for a breakout 2023, during which they won their maiden Asian Games gold. The duo is currently playing in Malaysia Open Super 1000 and therefore skipped the function.<br /></p>Getty Images
4/10:Only Esha Singh misses out Arjuna Awards ceremony!
<p>An atmosphere of gaiety pervaded the Rashtrapati Bhawan as 26 athletes and para-athletes were finalised for the Arjuna Awards this year, with teenager pistol ace Esha Singh, who is competing in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta, the only one to miss the ceremony.<br /></p>ANI
5/10:Para-archer Sheetal gets rousing welcome at Durbar Hall
<p>The Durbar Hall reverberated with the claps of the dignitaries when para archer Sheetal Devi, winner of three gold medals at the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, walked up to collect her Arjuna.<br /></p>PTI
6/10:Proud moment for 16-year-old
<p>The 16-year-old is the only international para-archery champion without upper limbs due to a rare medical condition called Phocomelia. The President held Sheetal's award and the scroll as the teenager soaked in the atmosphere and the splendour of the hall.<br /></p>PTI
7/10:Para-canoeist Prachi Yadav also gets huge applause
<p>President Droupadi Murmu then walked down the podium to present the Arjuna to wheelchair-bound para-canoeist Prachi Yadav, winner of gold in Hangzhou, once again drawing a huge round of applause.<br /></p>IANS
8/10:Great moment for Shami
<p>Shami, who is currently recovering from an ankle injury, was there to receive the honours and the crowd duly acknowledged his achievements by giving him and his art the pride of place with an ovation. The pace bowler took 24 wickets in seven World Cup games last year.<br /></p>ANI
9/10:GM R Vaishali gets Arjuna in chess
<p>Also receiving a huge round of applause was the newly-crowned chess Grandmaster R Vaishali who was honoured for becoming the third woman from the country after Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika to turn GM.<br /></p>PTI
10/10:Kabaddi player Ritu Negi gets Arjuna too!
<p>President Droupadi Murmu presents the Arjuna Award to kabaddi player Ritu Negi during the National Sports and Adventure Awards 2023 ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. <br /></p>IANSIn a communication (TOI has a copy) to the BCCI's Apex Council members, Board secretary Jay Shah has written: “This prestigious event serves as a platform to recognize and honour the outstanding achievements of the best cricketers in India. The BCCI Annual Awards hold a special place in our hearts, as they symbolize excellence, dedication, and passion for our wonderful sport.”
"I believe that your participation will not only be a testament to your support for Indian cricket, but also an acknowledgement of the tremendous contributions made by our cricketing heroes and to the promise shown by young achievers. Please accept our gratitude for your continuous support to Indian cricket," Shah has stated.
