BCCI’s ‘Naman’ Awards: How did BCCI’s ‘Naman’ Awards start?

BCCI’s ‘Naman’ Awards Ceremony 2025

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s annual award is known as ‘Naman’. This year it was held on February 1 in Mumbai where 27 awards were conferred on some of the legends, stars and promising young talents of Indian cricket. The biggest award for international men’s and women’s cricketer was handed to India men pacer, Jasprit Bumrah and India women batter, Smriti Mandhana respectively. 

However, the highlight of the ceremony was India’s batting legend, Sachin Tendulkar receiving the  Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award for his outstanding contribution to Indian cricket. On the other, India’s ace spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin retired from international cricket in December 2024 and he was given a BCCI special award. 

What is ‘Naman’ Awards? 

The idea of starting the BCCI Awards began in the 2006-7 season with an intent to honour the best domestic and international cricketers of the past year. The Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award was first rolled out in 1984. The board also came up with Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi Memorial Lecture in 2013 after the former India skipper breathed his last in 2011. 

The Naman Awards came into existence after the fifth MAK Pataudi Memorial Lecture and 2016-17 annual awards function was merged into one event. And the event was given the name Naman, which in Hindi means 'bowing down in salutation'. It has been carried out in the same name since then. There have been eight lectures delivered so far and the latest one was delivered by Virender Sehwag in 2019.