Former India head coach Rahul Dravid expressed gratitude after receiving the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026, saying he felt privileged to be recognised alongside some of the greatest figures in Indian cricket.
Dravid, along with former BCCI president Roger Binny, received the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, while Mithali Raj was honoured with the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women. The awards were presented during the annual BCCI Naman Awards ceremony held in New Delhi on Sunday.
The annual ceremony recognises exceptional performances and contributions across international, domestic and age-group cricket, while also honouring individuals who have played a significant role in shaping the growth of the sport in India.
The Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honour given by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to former Indian cricketers for their outstanding contribution to the game.
Dravid said the recognition held special meaning as several icons of the sport had previously received the honour and had served as inspirations throughout his career.
“I am very grateful to receive this award. I mean, follow the earlier recipients of this award, you know, are some of the greatest legends of the game in our country. It’s really people I have looked up to, I have admired, have been great inspirations to me as a player and as a coach and all the other things that I’ve been involved in Indian cricket,” Dravid said.
The former India head coach added that the award reflected his long association with the sport, which began during his early years in age-group cricket.
“So, it’s a great privilege, it’s very grateful for that honour, very humbled, and I think, you know, very appreciative of the fact that I’ve been able to be involved in Indian cricket for such a long time. Since the time I was a young boy, probably playing under 15 cricket for the first time, to today and very grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had,” he said.
Dravid said he always saw his role in Indian cricket as continuing the work of earlier generations.
“I think that I’ve always just seen my role as just carrying a torch. I carried a torch from an earlier generation, whether I was a player or a coach. I have just built on the good work that other people have done. I have had my time when I’ve had the opportunity to contribute and do the best that I can,” he said.
He also praised the current generation of Indian cricketers and administrators for continuing to build on that legacy and taking the game forward.
“I’m very proud and grateful to see the way the next generation continues to carry that on, and the kind of successes that we have had are a great credit to the current management, the current team and everyone involved with Indian cricket,” Dravid added.
Dravid was recognised for his contribution to Indian cricket both as a player and as a coach. During his international career, he scored more than 24,000 runs and was a central figure in India’s batting line-up for over a decade.
After retiring from international cricket, Dravid played a key role in developing young talent through the National Cricket Academy. He also guided India’s Under-19 team to the ICC Under-19 World Cup title in 2018 and later led the Indian men’s team to victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024 as head coach.
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